This post is by Sheryl Canter, an online writer and editorial manager at Environmental Defense Fund.

The June 2008 issue of Treasury and Risk lists Gwen Ruta, vice president for Corporate Partnerships at Environmental Defense Fund, as one of the year's 100 most influential people in finance, along with movers and shakers like Al Gore and Carl Icahn:

Gwen Ruta, Director of Corporate Partnerships, Environmental Defense Fund
Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts put the nonprofit group on the corporate map when it asked EDF to assess the environmental performance of its U.S. companies. It's Ruta's job to help business partners create best practices when it comes to protecting the earth.

The collaboration between EDF and private equity firm KKR builds on the relationship forged in 2007 when KKR bought out TXU - one of the largest (and dirtiest) power companies in the country. EDF and KKR worked together to develop aggressive environmental goals as part of the buyout deal.

Now EDF and KKR are creating a process to drive environmental improvement across KKR's portfolio of companies, similar to the way KKR drives financial improvement. KKR's $39 billion portfolio includes over 40 companies, and spans such diverse industries as retail (Toys "R" Us, U.S. Foodservice), energy (TXU), consumer products (Sealy) and health care (Jazz Pharmaceuticals).