Simon-Kucher & Partners to go carbon neutral in 2021
Simon-Kucher & Partners, a strategy and marketing consulting firm, has committed to becoming carbon neutral by the end of the year.
To achieve carbon neutrality, the firm will focus on reducing its carbon footprint and compensating for remaining emissions with carbon offset credits. Corporate purchases of carbon offsets typically support projects that reduce greenhouse gases, such as renewable energy or forestry projects.
“2020 provided us with an opportunity to think about how we could re-define ‘the new normal,’ for our business, in a more sustainable way,” said Andreas von der Gathen, CEO of Simon-Kucher. “We’re making a commitment to reduce our footprint with a more sustainable approach to travel and green energy.”
Simon-Kucher will apply new travel guidelines and plans to switch to 100% renewable energy. The Bonn, Germany-headquartered firm said that becoming carbon neutral is part of a number of sustainability initiatives being rolled out by the company globally this year.
The firm has approximately 1,400 consultants globally, and is known for its specialized expertise in pricing advisory.
“Sustainability is a priority topic across all levels, functions, and regions of our company. We are proud to be making this commitment together as part of our sustainability journey at Simon-Kucher,” said Fabian Farkas, senior director and head of the firm's global CSR committee.
Business travel for jet-setting consultants can account for 80% or more of a management consultancy’s carbon footprint. Though the pandemic has shifted much work to the virtual sphere, travel to client sites hasn’t (and won’t) go away, especially as the world emerges from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Many consulting firms have committed to carbon neutral and net-zero carbon targets. The first phase generally involves reducing travel, using efficient and renewables-powered offices, and offsetting a large amount of carbon with offset purchases. The net-zero phase – which many large consultancies have committed to reach by 2030 – involves transitioning offset purchases to options that directly produce renewable energy or reduce carbon.
