- Partnership launched ahead of COP28 to accelerate climate action.
- In collaboration with WCF, Kearney will leverage the firm’s international network of more than 100 experts and two in-house think tanks to support business leaders’ transition to regenerative business models.
Global consultancy Kearney has announced a new partnership with the World Climate Foundation (WCF), the leading global platform dedicated to addressing climate change, to support the private- and public-sector transition to more regenerative business models.
Launched today at COP28, the partnership will direct Kearney’s international network of more than 100 sustainability experts and the efforts of two in-house think tanks—the Energy Transition Institute and the Global Business Policy Council—to support the WCF with real action on the climate crisis.
In keeping with Kearney’s philosophy, enabling and empowering the shift to regenerative business models will be a key focus in a step change from focusing on standalone “resilience” to understanding businesses as interconnected parts of the society in which they operate.
The partnership will work across a variety of sectors, from regenerative agriculture and food systems to the energy transition, sustainable mobility, and supply chains.
Alex Liu, managing partner and chairman at Kearney, comments:
“In the current climate crisis, organizations have a moral obligation to consider their position in wider society and the natural world. Becoming a regenerative business requires transitioning beyond today’s focus on resilience to a new world where we are all part of a comprehensive system that both performs and cares for people and places. As Harvard professor Greg Norris commented, it is no longer about doing ‘less harm’ and reducing our footprint but seeking to increase our socioecological handprint.
“Our partnership with the WCF is an important step in this transition for Kearney, and we hope to be able to use our knowledge to inspire and support others on the same regenerative journey.”
Jen Nielsen, CEO at the World Climate Foundation, adds:
“As we approach three decades since the original signing of the Paris Agreement, COP28 falls in a year where we need more urgent, more significant action than ever to address the climate crisis. We’re pleased to be partnering with Kearney to share knowledge and drive this message across the business world.
“We must act now to change how we do business, to encourage models that give back as much as they take. The climate crisis is not a business opportunity; it’s a survival opportunity.”
Richard Forrest, partner and global head of sustainability, Kearney, concludes:
“We’re delighted to be partnering with the WCF on this important issue. Through partnerships and collaborative initiatives with knowledgeable and innovative organizations, we can make a real impact on the transition to a more sustainable world. We’ll be working with the WCF through COP28, at the World Economic Forum meeting in January, and during New York and London Climate Week in 2024. Watch this space.”
