Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has doubled down on its sustainability focus in the Middle East, launching its Climate & Sustainability Hub in the region.
The new Climate & Sustainability Hub brings together the best of BCG’s global expertise with its regionally-developed experience and knowhow, on topics including decarbonization of sectors (including hard-to-abate sectors), net zero, renewable energy, green innovation, and climate risk mitigation.
Launched following similar such hubs in Singapore and Australia, the GCC-based hub will not only serve the Middle East region, but also operate as BCG’s global centre of excellence. The remit is notable: BCG’s centres of excellence are typically led out of home base the US (or other larger markets), but with the world’s eyes keenly focused on the UAE, the shift to the region is one that makes business sense.
The exclusive consulting partner to both COP26 (Glasgow) and COP27 (Sharm el-Sheikh), Boston Consulting Group is one of the leading strategic and management consultants in the field of sustainability. In the region, BCG even tops ConsultancyME’s latest ranking of sustainability consultancies.
With COP28 taking place in the UAE coming November, the new Climate & Sustainability Hub enables Boston Consulting Group to be close to the action, with the race to become the event’s exclusive consulting partner still open (insiders close to the matter told ConsultancyME that while BCG is in pole position, major rivals are mounting a fierce challenge to steal the prestigious crown).
Formally established last year during an event inaugurated by Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri (Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the UAE) and Christiana Figueres (Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework), the Climate & Sustainability Hub has over the past months hit the ground running, welcoming both government and private sector organisations to its roster of clients.
One of the more high-profile clients is the government of the UAE itself. “We have partnered with BCG to develop a comprehensive, robust, and ambitious net zero plan for the country,” admitted Almheiri.
Boston Consulting Group is also working with other governments on “developing strategies to reach net zero, enabling them to meet their regional and global commitments under the Paris Agreement,” said Shelly Trench, Global Climate & Sustainability Strategy Lead at BCG.
In the corporate space, the hub works with clients from a wide range of industries, including energy, retail and consumer, financial services, manufacturing, and travel & tourism. Boston Consulting Group helps strategize decarbonization roadmaps, and brings in teams that support with the implementation of these roadmaps, including running major programs and providing the digital backbone through its BCG X subsidiary.
“Our experts work across decarbonization, mitigation, adaptation, and innovation, helping clients reduce their carbon footprint and at the same time leverage new, green growth opportunities,” explained Trench.
Simon Birkebaek, Middle East Climate & Sustainability Topic Lead, added: “Governments and companies in the region have opportunities to build new export industries in hydrogen, green fuels for aviation and shipping, green steel or aluminum, amongst others. This not only helps to reduce the carbon footprint but also creates new jobs and opportunities for residents in the region.”
In 2022, Boston Consulting Group gained a major boost to its sustainability capabilities with the acquisition of Quantis, an environmental and sustainability consultancy with 250 staff across Europe and the United States.
Sourced from Consultancy.me