Finding purpose in sustainability at Bain
Finding purpose in sustainability at Bain
A manager reflects on how she discovered her passion for sustainability through her work at Bain
For many people, sustainability starts as an abstract concept. For Marie-Reine Awad, a manager in our Munich office, it became personal. In this Q&A, she talks about what drew her to sustainability, what she learned during her rotation in Bain's sustainability practice, and why she believes small actions can drive real change.
Earth Day is a moment to reflect and a call to act – reminding us that caring for our planet is a shared responsibility.
Marie-Reine Awad
Manager
What first sparked your interest in sustainability?
I originally studied Mechanical Engineering in Germany, where I was first introduced to topics such as recycling, waste management, and process improvement. At the time, it was interesting, but it wasn’t yet personal. That shift really happened at Bain. I joined the Impact Commitments team as an extra 10% activity, and the more I got involved, the more I realized how much this topic mattered to me. What started as curiosity turned into something much deeper.
How did your experience at Bain shape that interest?
My six-month rotation in the Sustainability Practice was, without a doubt, the highlight of my time at Bain. I worked across carbon, circularity, water, and food, and saw firsthand how complex and interconnected sustainability challenges are. It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to contribute to something that truly matters.
Sustainability is often framed as an ambition rather than a concrete outcome. Many companies have sustainability goals, but what matters is turning those goals into concrete actions. Sustainability can only become real if it can be measured and scaled, and that bridge to execution is where technology is a key enabler, whether in managing material flows, production systems, or in data processing.

Marie-Reine in the rice fields of Kembang Kuning, Indonesia.

Marie-Reine with a Bain colleague and close friend at a museum in Milan.
What has influenced your career journey?
My parents taught me resilience. They are my biggest supporters – my backbone and biggest positive energy force. They taught that if you invest time and effort in what matters to you, you can achieve anything you want.
I also appreciate that we have a supportive and open environment at Bain. For me, the extraordinary teaming concept we live by is not about performance. It’s about creating a safe, trusting environment where team members feel free to challenge ideas, speak up, and share their perspectives without hesitation.
What does Earth Day mean to you?
I think Earth Day is both a moment to reflect and a call to action. It’s a great reminder for all of us how important it is to protect our planet, which gives us air to breathe, water to drink, and food to eat. It’s a great moment to pause and think about how much we are hurting it with pollution and food waste. It is also time to understand how we can make things better through simple actions, such as turning off the light when leaving a room or taking a shorter shower.
One piece of reflection I would like to share broadly: Earth Day is a moment to reflect and a call to act – reminding us that caring for our planet is a shared responsibility, and that even small actions can make a big difference.