In order to protect the environment, we apply the precautionary approach as stated in the 1992 Rio Declaration: “Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as a reason for postponing cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.” We apply this principle across all our offices globally.

As a result of our above commitment, we have:

• Achieved our 12th straight year being Carbon Neutral in all our global operations in 2022
• Committed to Science-Based Targets in line with the SBTi’s 1.5-degree pathway in 2022
• Received an A- rating from CDP, the leading global disclosure system for investors, companies, and geographies to manage their environmental impacts, in 2020, 2021, and 2022
• Received a Platinum rating from EcoVadis in 2022
• Committed to having a net-negative carbon impact, starting with 2021 emissions year and for all future years, by working to reduce its emissions and investing in high-quality carbon removal projects to offset more than its annual carbon footprint
• Purchased EACs to cover 100% of the electricity we use each year since 2020
• Incorporated sustainability risk management into our global governance structure

Looking ahead, we have set the following targets:

• Achieve net-negative status every year going forward by supporting carbon removal projects to remove more than 100% of our scope 1, 2, and 3 carbon emissions
• Reduce scope 1 and 2 emissions by 30% by 2026 from a 2019 base year and reduce scope 3 emissions from business travel by 35% per employee over the same time period
• Divert 90% of our waste from landfills by 2030

Our four commitments to environmental sustainability

1. Identifying, measuring, and offsetting the environmental impact of our global operations

• We pursue higher-than-required standards in our carbon footprint calculations and offset more than 100% of all our scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions

2. Reducing our impact on the environment through both global and local operations initiatives

• Bain Green Teams across the globe work to reduce our carbon footprint, where possible, and promote sustainable consumption
• We have implemented mechanisms to incentivize teams to reduce scope 3 business travel-related emissions for internal travel
• We are dedicated to reducing energy consumption and waste generation resulting from our business operations, by implementing the use of smart lights and recyclable materials in our offices
• Through our Sustainable Procurement function, Bain also incorporates sustainability into supplier sourcing and management

3. Using natural resources sustainably, minimizing pollution and protecting biodiversity

• We strive for sustainable usage of natural air, water, and land resources while ensuring minimal impact on the quality of these resources
• We take into consideration the long-term implications of our operations in terms of global warming impact, biodiversity, and deforestation, and strive every day to reduce our environmental footprint
• We prioritize investing in offset projects which have environmental co-benefits including biodiversity and natural resource preservation

4. Maintaining full compliance with applicable environmental laws, regulations, and other obligations

• On certain issues where we have more stringent internal requirements, we operate to even higher standards than what is required by law

Helping clients become better environmental stewards

We help our corporate clients be better stewards of the environment—integrating sustainability goals and priorities into their core strategy and operations, designing "greener" supply chains, and meeting the needs of a range of stakeholders, including suppliers, employees, and community members. In 2022, we completed more than 700 climate and sustainability projects across all geographies, helping our corporate clients identify opportunities and develop robust business cases to make sustainability a source of ongoing and increasing value. For more information, refer to our Further^SM practice.

Our passion for sustainability also extends to our work with nonprofit sector clients. We invest in pro bono consulting support for innovative and effective environmental nonprofits to help them reach their full potential and drive transformative social impact:

• We have developed a deep, multi-year relationship with The Nature Conservancy, the world’s leading conservation organization, and are expanding our expertise across a wide variety of environmental topics, including forestry, sustainable food production, protection of marine fisheries, and land and water conservation
• Our investment in strategy work for environmental nonprofits is part of our larger commitment to invest $1.1 billion in pro bono consulting by 2025

By taking these steps, we demonstrate the priority we place on minimizing our environmental impact. With a more aggressive emissions goal and as a signatory on the 1.5 C commitment letter, we reinforce our pledge to reduce the impact of our operations on Earth’s climate, continuing our environmental leadership role in the professional services industry.