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Catalyst Zero

Accelerating decarbonization transformations at scale

McKinsey’s end-to-end decarbonization solution helps clients rapidly find and remove carbon across the business ecosystem.
As the world takes action toward net-zero, organizations need data-backed, responsive decarbonization strategies across every part of their business. Catalyst Zero brings together McKinsey’s sustainability expertise with our proven transformation experience. Our fully tech-enabled digital platform, combined with our unmatched proprietary data and expert insights, allows our clients to match decarbonization decisions with broader business goals. With Catalyst Zero, clients can accelerate sustainable growth at every step of their sustainability journey.

What we do

We work with our clients to decarbonize every aspect of their business. Specifically, we help:

Set data-backed carbon-emissions reduction targets

that align to external standards, regulations, and initiatives (e.g., SBTi, GHG Protocol, TCFD, CDP, GRI)

Transform operations

by better understanding a company’s carbon footprint and implementing decarbonization initiatives across the entire organization

Develop decarbonized products

with our dedicated zero-carbon product module to identify and reduce key drivers of a product’s emission footprint

Decarbonize supply chains

by reducing embedded carbon in procured components and raw materials to reduce Scope 3 (upstream) emissions

Our approach

Our proven approach rapidly helps companies build a more sustainable business with analytical and strategic support at every step of the process.

Baseline

With speed and precision, assess an organization’s overall carbon footprint and identify decarbonization priorities.

Value

Evaluate areas of carbon reduction potential and assess their financial costs and benefits.

Plan

Set specific decarbonization targets and create detailed plans to achieve them.

Act

Stay responsive to change and make informed adjustments to the plan in real time with automated reporting and full transparency.

Our technology

Our approach is powered by Catalyst Zero’s unique software solution and unmatched proprietary data to achieve sustainability goals in a transparent and reliable way.

Our technology enables:

  • data integration that pulls from all major enterprise resource plans (ERP) and includes supplier harmonization and spending classification
  • accurate carbon-related accounting with industry-leading datasets for spending categorization and emission factors
  • streamlined evaluation with rapid establishment of abatement pathways using a library of proprietary decarbonization initiatives and business cases
  • automated reporting that provides full transparency on impact and a single source of truth for sustainability data

Examples of our work

Putting a leading pharmaceutical company on the path to decarbonization

A global chemicals and pharmaceuticals company used Catalyst Zero to identify over 4,500 kilotons of CO2 to be cut from supply chains. The company is on track to achieve a 28 percent reduction in Scope 3 emissions by 2030.

Helping a global logistics company reduce emissions along with costs

We worked with a logistics company to reduce its carbon intensity by an estimated 27 percent by 2025 while driving six percent year-over-year business growth.
Video

Working with a manufacturer to develop zero carbon products

Using our zero-carbon product module, we helped set a leading industrial components manufacturer on the path to a 25 percent emissions reduction from all purchased goods by 2030, with a further 15 percent emissions reductions expected across the value chain.

Featured experts

Dr. Ruth Heuss
Senior Partner, Berlin
As global leader of McKinsey Sustainability, serves companies in the automotive and machinery industries on future mobility, decarbonization...
Libbi Lee
Associate Partner, London
Supports clients undergoing large-scale transformational change to help drive decarbonization and develop strategies to create...
Tomas Nauclér
Senior Partner, Stockholm
As global leader of McKinsey Sustainability, helps companies and governments develop strategies grounded on a fact-based understanding...
Tolga Oguz
Senior Partner, New York
Serves financial institutions globally on growth, productivity, and technology
Daniel Pacthod
Senior Partner, New York
As global co-leader of McKinsey Sustainability, Daniel supports leading organizations in accelerating their efforts to decarbonize...
Dickon Pinner
Senior Partner, Bay Area
As global leader of McKinsey Sustainability, helps transform companies’ product, service, and asset portfolios to capture the...

Featured insights

Collection

Decarbonizing the world’s industries: A net-zero guide for nine key sectors
The sectors that produce the majority of global greenhouse-gas emissions face a steep challenge to decarbonize, but our research shows that solutions are within reach. In many cases, a transformation is well underway. This collection draws together articles and reports that lay out a pathway to net zero for nine emissions-intensive industries
Article

The zero-carbon car: Abating material emissions is next on the agenda
– The automotive industry could abate 66 percent of emissions from their material production at no extra cost by 2030—if industry participants work together and start now.

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