Among the sectors New York City-based Orangewood Partners invests in are consumer, healthcare and multi-unit. Founded in 2015, Orangewood manages approximately $800 million of assets.
In 2021, the firm acquired Pacific Bells, which operates more than 250 Taco Bell restaurants.
As a result of the pandemic, we now offer each employee with a credit to purchase furniture and office equipment to be able to work from home.
How has your firm adjusted its workplace environment and policies in a post-pandemic world?
Company culture is very important to us. One of the biggest recent developments is our new office space. While we are still working in a hybrid world, our new office space has a much more open feel to encourage team collaboration and an exciting work environment.
Additionally, Orangewood provides a stipend for each of its employees to “get out of the office” and meet people for coffee, lunch or dinner.
Have you changed any policies toward in-person, virtual and hybrid work arrangements?
Our office is currently open four days per week (Monday to Thursday) and each employee is encouraged, but not required, to be in the office. Many of our team members also spend considerable time on the road meeting with companies, clients and partners during the work week.
Each team member is also allowed to work from home Monday to Friday if they prefer and on Fridays can work from anywhere. While the team members have the option to work from home, given our collaborative and team environment, if not traveling, most choose to be in the office.
Over the last couple of years, this has evolved. Before the pandemic, our office was officially open five days per week and during the height of the pandemic we were working 100 percent virtually.
Has the emphasis on ESG issues changed thinking on your workplace culture?
We always take all aspects of ESG into consideration when making decisions at Orangewood and our portfolio companies and have instituted an ESG policy in our employee manual. A few examples of our focus on ESG: When we moved into our new office, we purchased a water filter machine and have saved on 3,000 bottles of water that the team has been drinking just in the last few months.
Additionally, every investment we make we conduct a thorough ESG analysis to confirm there are no issues. Importantly, post investment, we evaluate ongoing ESG policies and procedures at each board meeting.
For the fill list of 2022 PE Workplace Pioneers, see here.
