BCG launches a global climate & sustainability practice
Management consulting firm BCG has launched a beefed-up sustainability offering through the expansion of its Center for Climate Action, which was founded in 2019.
Boston Consulting Group has further geared up its sustainability efforts with the expansion of its existing Center for Climate Action into a global BCG Center for Climate & Sustainability, bringing together more than 550 individual experts with teams stationed in offices across the world. In addition, the strategic consulting firm has been announced as the consultancy partner of this year’s 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Following last year’s $400 million commitment to its sustainability work and achieving net-zero climate impact by 2030, BCG will now expand its 2019-founded climate action center to cover all sectors and include the full gamut of environmental topics, such as biodiversity, decarbonization, sustainable agriculture, waste and water management, and the circular economy. The center to date has already served 300 clients on 750 climate-related projects.“We are at a critical juncture in the fight against climate change, and there is nothing more urgent than finding a path to net zero,” commented BCG CEO Rich Lesser. “In order to avoid irreversible damage, global emissions must be cut in half by 2030 to stay on track with Paris Agreement goals and reach net zero by 2050. This is not easy, but for business it represents both an imperative and opportunity to achieve sustainable competitive advantage.”
With BCG also announced as the consultancy partner for the 2021 UN Climate Conference (the international summit is due to take place in Glasgow from the beginning of November), Lesser said COP26 represents a pivotal moment in the global drive for businesses, governments, and society to take decisive action. The consulting firm has also previously partnered with the World Economic Forum among other organizations on matters of sustainability.
“I am pleased to welcome Boston Consulting Group as a COP26 Partner,” said conference president Alok Sharma. “By committing to reach net zero, and setting science-based targets to achieve this goal, they are joining the growing number of businesses committed to reducing their environmental impact and helping to drive decarbonization. I look forward to working with BCG in the months ahead as we continue to make progress ahead of COP26.”
According to the firm’s research, an investment of between $100 trillion to $150 trillion will be required over the coming decades to effectively fund decarbonization efforts across sectors, with half of the global economy at present directly reliant on nature. Yet, BCG analysis has concluded that up to 80 percent of the Paris Agreement goals are achievable with existing technologies, while full, major supply chain decarbonization might result in only a minor cost increase to consumers.