Social Sector

Helping leading institutions identify solutions to major societal challenges and improve the health, lives, and livelihoods of people around the world

We believe that social sector organizations are key to solving many societal and economic challenges impacting the well-being of people around the world. We support them by providing end-to-end solutions—from diagnosis through on-the-ground delivery of actions that have lasting impact.

We convene global leaders and create collaborative partnerships tailored to each client and project. Our approach is informed by insights from our globally recognized research centers and fueled by our expertise across domains such as technology enablement, data and analytics, operations, organization, and strategy.

What we do

Philanthropy

We work to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of philanthropy by helping private and corporate foundations, family offices, philanthropic LLCs, and high net-worth individuals achieve their impact goals.

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Public Health

We work with the public, private, and social sectors to address the most urgent public health challenges, offering solutions that improve population health around the world. Partnering with foundations, governments, international organizations, and healthcare companies, we are focused on prioritizing access to equitable, sustainable, and high-quality healthcare for the poorest and most vulnerable populations.

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Nonprofits

We help nonprofits and nongovernmental organization (NGO) scale their operations, deepen their impact, create new offerings, and ensure their long-term financial sustainability.

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Development Partners by McKinsey

We support agencies at both a global and regional level, partnering with local experts to provide strategic and technical support locally, helping them meet their development goals across multiple sectors including education, finance, public health, and sustainability.

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ESG

We collaborate with clients leading a wave of innovation and economic growth through a range of environmental, social and governance (ESG) activities that safeguard our planet, support social impact for employees, customers, and communities, and build a governance structure that ensures rights and responsibilities while advancing sustainability.

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Featured insights

A dark blue outline of a key with a bit made up of a line of houses of different sizes, implying property ownership and the housing market. The key is contrasted against a pale blue backdrop.

Report - McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility

Investing in housing: Unlocking economic mobility for Black families and all Americans

February 11, 2025 -

Exploring how innovative solutions could help alleviate the housing crisis and improve economic mobility for all.

Group of Black friends together on the some stairs of a home, having fun looking at a mobile phone.

Article - McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility

Mapping the road to prosperity and parity for Black and Latino residents across America

March 15, 2024 -

Black and Latino US residents experience different levels of prosperity and parity depending on where they live. Our interactive map explores this variation across all US counties.

Diverse group of business people having discussion during meeting in office

Report

Ethnocultural minorities in Europe: A potential triple win

February 8, 2024 -

Greater inclusion of ethnocultural minorities could fill talent gaps and spur company growth, increase economic empowerment of these groups, and generate benefits for the economy and broader society.

Three generations of a Black family pose together and smile outside their home.

Report - McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility

The state of Black residents: The relevance of place to racial equity and outcomes

February 1, 2024 -

At the current pace of change, it could take decades to improve outcomes for Black Americans and more than three centuries to get to racial parity. How can different types of communities move closer to delivering a better quality of life for all residents?

Article

Tracking public-health outcomes across the United States

September 6, 2022 -

Explore health outcomes, access to care, and health risks management with the United States of Health Dashboard.

Article - McKinsey Quarterly

How to make ESG real

August 10, 2022 -

While ESG is likely to evolve both in substance and name in the coming years, its underlying impulse is here to stay. Here’s how companies can take a more systematic and rewarding approach to ESG.