Behind the scenes at Climate Week NYC 2025 with a Bain associate partner
Behind the scenes at Climate Week NYC 2025 with a Bain associate partner
A Bain leader shares her reflections from the global sustainability forum
Climate Week NYC brings together leaders from business, government, and beyond to talk about how we can build a more sustainable future. In this Q&A, Olivia, an Associate Partner in our New York office, reflects on what it was like to attend, what excites her most about the firm’s sustainability work, and how you can get involved, both inside and outside client work.
"Bain has made sustainability a core part of how we serve clients, integrating it into everything from strategy and operations to innovation and investment decisions"
Olivia
Associate Partner, Utilities and Renewables practice
What role did Bain play at Climate Week NYC this year?
Climate Week NYC is one of the biggest moments of the year for climate and business leaders to come together, and this year was the largest yet with more than 1,000 events across the city.
Bain had a strong presence throughout the week. We co-hosted or led 20 events, including our annual sustainability dinner with nearly 60 Chief Sustainability Officers. Our teams also partnered with leading global organizations to talk about the real business challenges of sustainability: not just the ambition, but how to actually deliver.
This work ties into a much broader effort across the firm. Bain has made sustainability a core part of how we serve clients, integrating it into everything from strategy and operations to innovation and investment decisions.
What was your experience like attending Climate Week? Was there a standout moment?
Clean Energy Leadership Institute members gather at a Climate Week event
In general, these events were filled with so much passion for climate mitigation and adaptation, which was in turn deeply energizing. I particularly enjoyed hearing from Jigar Shah, a leading voice in clean energy innovation, who shared perspectives on growth in nuclear and geothermal. The setting at the Rainbow Room on Tuesday evening, surrounded by many friendly faces from prior events and my fellow Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI) peers, made the experience even more inspiring.
What excites you most about Bain’s sustainability work today?
I primarily work with our utilities clients, and one of the most exciting challenges in the industry right now is helping them balance sustainability with reliability and affordability, especially as demand grows and the energy transition accelerates. It’s incredibly rewarding to support clients as they rethink their strategies and make big, complex decisions that will shape the future of their sectors.
How can people get involved in sustainability efforts at Bain?
One great way is through our local Green Teams: groups of Bainies who lead sustainability efforts in their offices. They focus on two main areas: reducing our environmental footprint (like improving recycling, composting, and cutting down single-use items) and raising awareness through events and guest speakers.
Recent Green Team initiatives have included Climate Week and Earth Week programming, plus talks from leaders like a business school professor focused on sustainable investing and a climate venture capital founder. It’s a great way to get involved, build community, and help make sustainability part of daily life at Bain.
You don’t need to be on a dedicated environmental or sustainability-focused client project to get involved. Green Teams are open to anyone, and a great way to connect with colleagues who care about making a difference.
Members of our Climate Week delegation held a lunchtime meet-and-greet with members of our New York office Green Team
