Bain & Company delivered $1 billion in social impact over past decade

Big Three strategy consultancy Bain & Company says it has invested $1.1 billion into social impact initiatives in the last 10 years. These initiatives have been focused on five critical areas: food systems and nature, climate and the energy transition, education, racial equity and social justice, and economic development.

This huge investment in social impact has come in the form of pro bono consulting services, with over 400 clients supported and over 1,000 cases delivered. These collaborations were mainly with nonprofits and public-sector organizations and aimed to take on the world’s toughest challenges.

Food systems and nature

Bain helped to set global food and nature agendas by providing important insights and by mobilizing corporate coalitions to address food systems. That included building more inclusive, sustainable, profitable, and healthy food systems in Africa and other parts of the developing world.

These initiatives included building and scaling innovative collaborations for sourcing high-impact food commodities that are resilient and have a positive environmental impact. Conservation of forests and other natural habitats was another area of focus here.

One food-focused partnership with The Nature Conservancy worked to develop a canned tuna brand that boasts industry-leading environmental and labor practices. The partnership also built several other new aquafarming companies that use deforestation-free feed and innovative farm technologies.

Climate and the energy transition

Some of the social impact Bain has done in the past decade in term of the energy transition included helping to modernize and expand access to green energy, boosting generation and grid infrastructure.

Some initiatives were focused on green fuels like hydrogen or biofuels. One specific partnership was with MethanSAT, a satellite in orbit that uses advanced technologies to detect methane emissions around the world. Methane is one of the most harmful – and one of the most common – types of greenhouse gases.

Education

The firm’s pro bono work in education focused on helping schools in underserved communities. It worked to improve student outcomes by introducing high-quality instructional tools that use innovative technologies.

Another focus was on human capital: The firm worked to recruit, train, and support highly effective teachers and school leaders. Overall, the initiatives aimed to improve learning outcomes for high-risk children and families.

Racial equity and social justice

Some of the racial equity and social justice impact that Bain invested in includes closing the racial wealth gap by creating new opportunities for communities to begin building generational wealth. Work in this area has also focused on eliminating disparities in health outcomes, ending systemic disenfranchisement, and empowering gender equality.

Bain partnered with Bloomberg Philanthropies to work closely with 10 health systems in different communities, helping them collaborate with schools in order to launch healthcare pathways for students. This was funded with $250 million from Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Economic development

The firm applied their social impact to building a better future for vulnerable communities in many parts of the world. That included giving support to entrepreneurs, supporting impactful social enterprising, boosting financial inclusion, and supporting smallholder farmers, which make up the majority of the agricultural sector in many parts of the developing world.

In one notable example, Bain worked with UNHCR (the UN Refugee Agency) to refine their fundraising strategies, which ultimately boosted funding. Bain also helped UNHRC with a tech transformation, improving their efficiency and global coordination.

“At Bain & Company, we believe that businesses have a fundamental responsibility to contribute to society in a profound and lasting way,” said Christophe De Vusser, worldwide managing partner of Bain & Company.

“This work fuels our expertise, expands our thinking, and deepens our impact, inside and outside Bain. It’s also an incredible opportunity for our people to lead, to take on challenges that matter, and to develop the skills that set us apart.”

Going forward, Bain has additionally pledged more than $2 billion in pro bono consulting by 2035. These efforts demonstrate the firm’s long-term commitment to leveraging its expertise to address pressing global challenges and create meaningful societal change.