Our Societal Impact

Accelerating sustainable and inclusive growth

A sustainable, inclusive, and growing economy is better for business and for all. Contrary to fears that economic inclusion and environmental sustainability must come at the expense of growth, our research suggests that economic growth is at its strongest when it is most inclusive and sustainable.

We believe there are four areas in which we can accelerate the transition to a more inclusive United States economy. First, by educating and upskilling American workers; second, by bridging the gender and diversity inclusion gap; third, by promoting mental wellness; and finally, by supporting universal food security.

Educating & Upskilling The Workforce

We are helping to expand economic mobility for workers and lighting a path toward more resilient, higher-wage jobs that will drive post-pandemic recovery. We are proud to partner with leading organizations in this work, including:

Rework America Alliance

We are a proud partner of the Rework America Alliance, an innovative nationwide initiative led by the Markle Foundation to help workers emerge from this crisis stronger. The Alliance aims to help millions of workers, regardless of formal education, move into good jobs in the digital economy by accelerating the development of a more effective system of worker training aligned to jobs that employers will need to fill.

Learn more about Rework America Alliance

Career Exchange

Eightfold AI, in partnership with FMI and supported by McKinsey, has built an artificial intelligence (AI) platform to match people to the right jobs in companies that are hiring. Employers can sign up now for Career Exchange. Individuals can refer their organizations as well.

Learn more about Career Exchange

Generation

In 2014 we founded Generation, an independent nonprofit, to tackle the global youth employment challenge. Today, it is the world’s largest demand-driven employment program in the number of annual graduates.

Learn more about Generation

Taskforce on Higher Education and Opportunity

We are a founding member and pro bono supporter of the Taskforce on Higher Education and Opportunity, alongside nearly 40 public and private two-year and four-year and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) that represent 2.5 million students nationwide. Taskforce members are focused on three key goals: ensuring student success despite the worst recession since World War II, partnering with local communities, and reimagining how higher education is delivered.

Learn more about the Taskforce on Higher Education and Opportunity

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American perceptions of economic opportunity

The McKinsey American Opportunity Survey spotlights what Americans feel about their current economic standing, their views on economic opportunity, and the barriers they see standing between themselves and a more inclusive and prosperous future.

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Educating K–12 students amid COVID-19: The parental perspective

American parents paint a wide-ranging picture of how the pandemic has impacted their school-aged children, and offer clues on how to reset and recover.

Article

Unequal America: Ten insights on the state of economic opportunity

May 26, 2021 -

The inaugural McKinsey American Opportunity Survey spotlights Americans’ views on economic opportunity, the obstacles they face, and the path ahead to create a more inclusive economy.

Report

Unlocking experience-based job progressions for millions of workers

June 2, 2021 -

Millions of US workers without four-year college degrees are unemployed. Novel data analytics reveal opportunities for them to attain better jobs than they had before the pandemic if there’s action to build a more inclusive economy.

Article

Achieving an inclusive US economic recovery

February 3, 2021 -

COVID-19 has most affected workers who were already vulnerable. Unless bold action is taken, the postpandemic recovery will further exacerbate inequality.

Bridging the gender, diversity, and inclusion gap

We aspire to build supportive ecosystems to advance equity for underrepresented groups. Our strategy is built on more than a decade of work demonstrating the business case for inclusion and diversity.

Our 10 actions toward racial equity

How we plan to accelerate change within our firm and help combat racism across the world.

McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility

Our goal is to inspire, empower, and sustain action that leads to the economic development of Black communities across the globe.

Connected Leaders Academy

Advancing racial equity by investing in future leaders

McKinsey Inclusive Business Accelerator

McKinsey Inclusive Business Accelerator’s mission is to advance racial equity and economic empowerment of Black communities by providing support to small and medium-sized Black-owned businesses.

Black Leadership Academy: A catalyst for growth

We developed the Black Leadership Academy to help organizations improve their talent pipeline and equip Black leaders with the network, capabilities, mindsets, and behaviors needed to achieve their professional aspirations.

McKinseyIn

Accelerating inclusive innovation by helping underrepresented start-up founders tackle their toughest challenges and realize success.

Portrait of a mature businesswoman having a meeting with her team in a modern office

Article

Women in the Workplace 2022

October 18, 2022 -

Women leaders are switching jobs at the highest rates we’ve ever seen, and ambitious young women are prepared to do the same. To make meaningful and sustainable progress toward gender equality, companies need to go beyond table stakes. That’s according to the latest Women in the Workplace report from McKinsey, in partnership with LeanIn.Org.

Report - MGI Research

The economic state of Black America: What is and what could be

June 17, 2021 -

Closing racial gaps across the economy is not only about righting historic wrongs. It is also about choosing a more dynamic future and realizing the full potential of a massively underutilized source of talent, to the benefit of all Americans.

Collection

Diversity in fashion: Voices from the industry

July 20, 2021 -

Hear directly from fashion students, emerging designers, and industry leaders about their experiences in the US fashion industry—and their ideas for creating more inclusive workplaces.

Article

What we lose when we lose women in the workforce

June 3, 2021 -

A record number of women have left the US workforce during the COVID-19 crisis. A policy expert and former HR executive discuss the long-term effects—and their own experiences.

Article

COVID-19 and advancing Asian American recovery

August 6, 2020 -

Asian American communities have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Article

LGBTQ+ voices: Learning from lived experiences

June 25, 2020 -

Our new research reveals the challenges that LGBTQ+ employees face, and six ways to help them bring their authentic selves to work.

Promoting mental wellness

An inclusive economy depends on the fulfillment, resilience, and mental wellness of its workforce. To this end, we are taking steps to address issues both among our own colleagues and in society at large that include:

McKinsey Health Institute

The McKinsey Health Institute is a non-profit-generating entity within the firm dedicated to advancing human health worldwide. One of MHI's focus areas is brain health, a term inclusive of positive mental health and the full range of mental, substance use, and neurological conditions. We help people across the world achieve the best possible brain health by strengthening cognitive function, improving mental health, and effectively preventing and treating mental, neurological, and substance use disorders.

Learn more about the McKinsey Health Institute

Shatterproof Initiative

We have supported Shatterproof, a national non-profit organization dedicated to reversing the addiction crisis in the United States, in their development of a national strategy to help reduce the stigma around opioid addiction. View this report, “A Movement to End Addiction Stigma,” for more detail, including specific action plans that organizations across the country can adopt to reduce stigma.

Learn more about the Shatterproof initiative

Well-being in the Workplace

This collection explores fostering mind, body, and sense of purpose in individuals, teams, and organizations for a more resilient workforce and improved well-being in the workplace

COVID-19 and education: The pandemic school year has ended, but the effects of unfinished learning linger

Article

COVID-19 and education: The lingering effects of unfinished learning

July 27, 2021 -

US states and districts have the opportunity to not only help students catch up on unfinished learning from the pandemic but also tackle long-standing historical inequities in education.

Article - McKinsey Quarterly

Overcoming stigma: Three strategies toward better mental health in the workplace

July 23, 2021 -

Employees are worried about their mental health as they return to the workplace after the COVID-19 pandemic. Stigma can exacerbate their concerns, but employers can thwart its impact.

Webinar

Promoting mental wellness in the workplace

April 15, 2021 -

Here are five actions organizations can take to address the rise in mental and substance-use disorders precipitated by the pandemic.

Article

Unlocking whole person care through behavioral health

February 24, 2021 -

The public, private, and social sectors can all play a role in improving access and outcomes for those with behavioral health conditions.

Supporting universal food and nutrition security

We aspire to support universal food and nutrition security in the United States by working with partners to respond to current food crises and reimagine the charitable food system. Stories of our impact with external organizations include:

Feeding America

We are supporting Feeding America to optimize their supply chain in order to improve their ability to reduce food insecurity for the more than 54 million people across the United States who are currently estimated to be food insecure. The work will help Feeding America to better understand local needs, identify sources of food to close the demand/supply gap, and improve front-line operations to safely and efficiently deliver food where it’s needed.

Learn more about Feeding America

Greater Chicago Food Depository

We helped the Greater Chicago Food Depository organize and analyze vast amounts of community data in order to improve their ability to prioritize neighborhoods in the greatest need of support and to optimize food distribution, reduce food spoilage, and improve nutritional equity. Our work together enables the Food Depository to better serve over 800,000 residents across 200 communities within Cook County through the efforts of more than 20,000 volunteers.

Learn more about the Greater Chicago Food Depository

Fighting community hunger in Chicago

The collaborative efforts of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, New Life Centers, and McKinsey are making a difference in providing nutritious meals to those in need.

Food banks apply 2020 lessons to plan for their future

May 11, 2021 -

Food organizations bring experience, analytics, and other advantages to the forefront in 2021, ensuring they are better prepared than they were before the pandemic.

Interactive

McKinsey for Kids: (Food) waste not, want not

March 22, 2021 -

In this edition of McKinsey for Kids, see why throwing away food is a bigger problem than you think—and what McKinsey and others are doing to help reduce food waste so more people can fill their bellies.

Turning over a new leaf: Using crisis to build back stronger

January 6, 2021 -

Nationwide, food banks seek to expand their services to address more than hunger; one Washington, DC, food bank is using the loss of its partner network to do just that.