Corporate responsibility
Corporate social responsibility is entwined in Bain's DNA because our people believe so deeply in it. Our passion has led to a broad company-wide commitment to becoming carbon neutral and reducing Bain's ecological footprint. And because we share our experiences with our clients, the benefits of our environmental efforts are magnified far beyond Bain itself.
Green teams
A few years ago, two associate consultants in the New York office made a proposal. Let's create a Green Team, they said, to help Bain set an example of sustainable practices. The office took the idea and ran with it—and so did the firm as a whole. Bain has 22 active Green Teams around the world, every one of which is a grassroots effort founded and led by employees, with new ideas and best practices shared globally.
And what a difference they're making: third-party energy-efficiency audits of Bain offices, double-sided printing, use of recycled paper—100 percent in some offices—fluorescent lightbulbs, magazine exchanges and junk-mail cancellation, video conferencing when possible instead of travel, along with plenty of fun things like the Ugly Mug contest (bring in your ugliest coffee mug from home and use it instead of disposable cups).
Carbon neutrality
Inspired by the Green Teams, Bain has launched a multi-year effort to make the firm carbon neutral. The goal for 2012: carbon neutrality for our offices and internal travel through more videoconferencing, greater use of green energy and emission offset credits.
The path to carbon neutrality
Carbon neutrality cuts down on your own carbon footprint and helps others to reduce theirs. But what works best? We are gaining insights into different carbon-reducing options, which can then be shared with clients, by investing in four major projects:
