UK-based sustainability consultancy SLR has announced the acquisition of marine and natural capital consultancy Anchor Environmental Consultants. As well as expanding its capabilities in coastal development, biodiversity, and natural capital advisory services, the move also grows SLR’s presence across southern Africa.
Founded by Barry Clark and Jane Turpie, Anchor Environmental Consultants is home to 45 professionals in South Africa and Namibia. Based in Cape Town, the firm provides services including ecological, social and economic assessment, research, monitoring, ecosystem services assessment, and natural capital accounting – advising clients including NGOs, mining, energy, fisheries, and governments – while also operating a marine taxonomy laboratory in the South African city.
SLR is a global environmental and advisory consultancy, with a team of more than 5,000 professionals operating from a network of offices in Europe, the Americas, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. SLR has previously collaborated with Anchor on environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) projects for major green hydrogen and ammonia developments; and in mining, infrastructure, offshore gas, and offshore wind engagements.
The acquiring firm said that the combined teams will leverage their shared expertise and create new opportunities to help clients accelerate sustainability outcomes. Anchor will rebrand under SLR’s environmental sciences unit. The unit will now be led by Jane Turpie, former CEO of Anchor, who will become director for environmental sciences.
Turpie said, “Joining the SLR global network significantly enhances Anchor’s reach and capabilities, enabling improved client service and increased impact in the marine science, natural capital and environmental economics and policy space.”
Looking ahead, the acquisition will strengthen SLR’s capability to support clients navigating increasingly complex marine and coastal developments, as well as its ability to support clients throughout their sustainability journey, from planning and assessment through implementation. It constitutes the latest in a string of purchases by SLR, which also recently bolstered its climate-modelling and analytics offerings with deals for the platforms Planetrics and ClimSystems; while the firm also added sustainability advisory firm SB&CO, and sustainability consulting, software and ESG data solutions provider WAP Sustainability to its ranks.
Tasman Graham, SLR’s managing director for the Middle East & Africa, commented, “The integration of Anchor into SLR’s Middle East and Africa team strengthens our position as a leading provider of services in estuarine, coastal, marine and offshore environments, and aligns with SLR’s strategy to develop global capability in the ports and marine sector. Anchor’s work in natural capital is world-class, and this combination will further enhance delivery, supported by SLR’s strengths in sustainable finance, corporate sustainability, ecology, and digital services.”
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