Environmental Sustainability

Our strategy helps us minimize the impact our firm has on the environment.

McKinsey supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and promote global security. We are also participants in the UN Global Compact. We are continually strengthening our environmental policies and practices, which address reducing greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and water usage across our entire operation.

Through the work of our Sustainability Practice, we help organizations across the world to operate in a more productive, resource-efficient, and sustainable way.

We are carbon neutral.

Greenhouse gas emissions, which come primarily from our travel to serve our clients and to build an enduring firm, are the largest component of our environmental footprint. We rigorously monitor and independently verify our emissions, following the GHG Protocol and best practices, such as including radiative forcing in emissions factors for air travel. In 2017, our total global emissions were 780 ktCO₂e (carbon dioxide equivalent).

However, in 2018, we achieved Climate Neutral Company status, certified by South Pole. We became carbon-neutral by:

Setting targets to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions

by 60 percent by 2030 and 90 percent by 2050 for direct emissions and purchased energy (Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions), in line with the level of decarbonization required to keep the global temperature increase below two degrees Celsius

Purchasing 100 percent renewable electricity

and joining the RE100 coalition of leading organizations committed to this goal—at the end of 2018, we were already purchasing 95 percent renewable electricity

Investing in high-quality carbon-reduction projects

to offset the emissions we cannot reduce—our portfolio of projects includes a broad range of geographies and technologies

By the numbers

0

net carbon emissions

from 2018

95%

renewable electricity

with a commitment to reach 100% by 2025

90%

reduction

in Scope 1 & 2 GHG emissions by 2050, 60% by 2030

Investing in carbon-reduction projects

While digital solutions for collaboration are enabling new ways of working, around 90 percent of our emissions today come from travel, predominantly air travel to our clients’ sites, which we cannot yet eliminate. To accelerate our transition to carbon neutrality, we invest in a diverse portfolio of carbon-reduction projects to offset these emissions.

Our offset projects focus on forestry and land use, an issue selected by firm members through a firmwide poll. Deforestation is one of the biggest sources of increasing global CO₂ levels. In addition to reducing carbon, firm members were inspired by the additional environmental, social, and economic benefits of forestry projects, such as safeguarded habitats for endangered species and new livelihoods for local communities. The environmental integrity of these projects is ensured by South Pole, a leading global provider of decarbonization solutions.

Our environmental practices

In addition to these measures, our environmental initiatives include the widespread use of videoconferencing capabilities to avoid unnecessary travel (particularly flights), the implementation of recycling hubs, and locating large offices in energy-efficient buildings. More than one-third of our office space (measured by square feet) is in green certified buildings—for example, buildings with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. We are building a network of Green Teams in our offices across the world to drive local sustainability efforts.

We are also committed to working with our suppliers, clients, and other stakeholders to advance environmental sustainability.

Renewable electricity

We are proud to be a member of RE100, a coalition of leading organizations committed to using 100 percent renewable electricity. We are working to ensure we meet our commitment by purchasing green tariffs from our utility providers and by working with our landlords where they provide the electricity in offices we lease. Where this is not possible, we will purchase energy attribute certificates, such as renewable energy certificates (RECs), equal to our consumption in those markets, to send a demand signal and support the development of renewable energy.

We have a responsibility to help protect our planet.