Critical Resource

What Critical Resource does

Critical Resource is a specialist advisory firm founded in London in 2006 by Daniel Litvin, providing strategic advice to mining and energy firms and their investors on license-to-operate issues. The practice focuses on socio-political, stakeholder and sustainability risk assessments of energy and mining assets, typically engaging at C-suite and board level to help companies manage these risks in a strategic and responsible way. The firm also provides group-level strategy advice in response to mega-trends such as increased ESG pressures and shifting geopolitical risks, and has expanded support to renewable energy and technology sector clients.

The firm operates as a professional services business, monetising through quote-based advisory engagements rather than software or productised offerings. Distribution is sales-led, relying on direct senior partner relationships with enterprises rather than marketing-driven funnels. Headcount is small (11-50 employees) and the visible senior team comprises partners Henry Hall, Chris Hindle and Stacy Hope.

In February 2020 Critical Resource was acquired by ERM (Environmental Resources Management), one of the world's largest pure-play sustainability consultancies, and since 1 October 2023 the team has operated fully under the ERM brand. The practice continues to deliver its mining and energy advisory specialism while leveraging ERM's global platform across adjacent sectors, including renewables and technology. There is no disclosed AI/technology stack; the offering is entirely human-expert advisory rather than software or data products.

Name

Critical Resource

Legal name

Critical Resource

Website

https://c-resource.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Critical Resource is a London-based specialist advisory firm serving mining, energy, renewable energy, and technology companies with socio-political, stakeholder and ESG risk assessments that help C-suite executives manage license-to-operate issues. Acquired by ERM in February 2020 and fully operating under the ERM brand since October 2023.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability and ESG Risk Advisory Consulting

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Environmental Consulting Services (541620), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

akta.pro primary industry

Infrastructure & Project Finance Advisory (BPAHADAO)

Keywords

• Sustainability consulting
• ESG risk advisory
• Stakeholder engagement
• Mining energy advisory
• License to operate

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Strategic Advisory Services: Professional advisory services provided to mining and energy firms and their investors on stakeholder, political and ESG risks. Services are rendered to C-suite executives and boards, suggesting high-value consulting engagements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Critical Resource provides specialist strategic advisory services to mining and energy companies and their investors on 'license-to-operate' issues, including socio-political, stakeholder, and sustainability risk assessments of energy and mining assets. The firm also delivers group-level strategy advice on mega-trends such as ESG pressures and shifting geopolitical risks, and increasingly supports renewable energy and technology sector clients on the same issues.

Product overview

Critical Resource is an advisory services firm, not a software product company. It provides strategic advisory services including socio-political, stakeholder, and sustainability risk assessments for the mining and energy industries, as well as advisory services for renewable energy and technology sectors. Since October 2023, Critical Resource operates fully under the ERM brand following its acquisition in February 2020. The company does not offer distinct software products, modules, or technology platforms — its offering consists entirely of consulting and advisory services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• License-to-Operate Risk Advisory Strategic advisory services to mining and energy companies and their investors on license-to-operate issues, including socio-political, stakeholder, and sustainability risk assessments of energy and mining assets, typically delivered to C-suite executives and boards.
• Group-Level ESG and Geopolitical Risk Strategy Advisory Group-level strategic advice to help companies respond to mega-trends including increased ESG pressures and shifting geopolitical risks, extending the firm's mining and energy expertise into renewable energy and technology sector clients.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• ERM (Environmental Resources Management)coreOthers · 1 February 2020Critical Resource was acquired by ERM in February 2020. Since October 1, 2023, the Critical Resource team operates fully under the ERM brand. This acquisition integrated Critical Resource's specialist expertise in stakeholder, political and ESG risk assessment for mining and energy into ERM's global sustainability consulting platform.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• South Pole Group: South Pole is a specialist sustainability and climate advisory firm advising corporates on ESG strategy, climate risk, and stakeholder engagement. It is comparable to Critical Resource on the ESG/sustainability advisory side, though less focused on mining/energy political risk specifically.
• Steward Redqueen: Steward Redqueen is a specialist impact and sustainability advisory firm advising corporates and investors on ESG strategy. It is comparable to Critical Resource on the strategic advisory overlap for resource-sector ESG and sustainability risk, albeit at smaller scale.

Direct peers

• Eurasia Group: Eurasia Group provides geopolitical risk advisory to corporate boards and investors, with particular depth in natural resources and energy. It is closely comparable to Critical Resource's board-level geopolitical risk advisory offering for mining and energy clients.
• Control Risks: Control Risks is a specialist political, integrity, and security risk consultancy serving multinational corporates. It is directly comparable to Critical Resource's political and stakeholder risk advisory work for resource-sector clients, particularly in emerging markets.
• Wood Mackenzie: Wood Mackenzie is a specialist research and advisory firm focused on the energy and natural resources sectors. It is highly comparable to Critical Resource given overlapping mining and energy clients, senior-level advisory delivery, and deep sector specialization.
• Verisk Maplecroft: Verisk Maplecroft is a specialist political and ESG risk analytics and advisory firm serving multinational corporates. It overlaps with Critical Resource on socio-political, stakeholder and ESG risk advisory for resource-sector and infrastructure clients.
• ERM (Environmental Resources Management): ERM is Critical Resource's parent company and the global sustainability consultancy into which the practice was fully integrated in October 2023. ERM is the most direct comparable because the Critical Resource team now operates as a sub-practice within it, serving overlapping mining, energy, and ESG advisory mandates.

Broad incumbents

• Boston Consulting Group (BCG) — Social Impact & Sustainability: BCG's Social Impact and Climate & Sustainability practices serve mining, energy, and infrastructure clients with board-level strategy advisory. BCG is broadly comparable as a top-tier incumbent competing for the same senior advisory mandates, even though ESG risk is one of many practices.
• S&P Global Commodity Insights: S&P Global Commodity Insights (formerly IHS Markit/S&P Global Platts) provides energy and commodity research, data, and advisory at global scale. It is broadly comparable as an incumbent serving mining and energy clients with strategic advisory and risk intelligence, though its offering is far broader than Critical Resource's niche.
• KPMG Sustainability Services: KPMG's global sustainability and ESG advisory practice serves mining, energy, and infrastructure clients with strategy, risk, and assurance work. It is broadly comparable as a large incumbent offering overlapping ESG advisory, though not as deep a specialist in license-to-operate political risk.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/C_Resource
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ERMGlobal
• Facebookfacebook.com/ERMGlobal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erm

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Critical Resource