We give back to the communities in which we live and work.
Spotlight on
Generation: Five years of overcoming barriers to employment
Inspired by our research into the journey from education to employment, McKinsey founded Generation, an independent nonprofit organization, in 2014. At the end of 2019, Generation was operating in 300+ locations in 13 countries. McKinsey continues to support Generation as a funder, and with our most valuable resource of all: our people.
Change in action
Strengthening our communities
Every year we work with more than 600 nonprofits, organizations that are addressing some of the world’s most pressing social challenges. Through pro bono service, board membership, and volunteering, we bring our capabilities and our insights to strengthen their impact and help them grow.
Harnessing data to feed those in need in Chicago
In Cook County, one of the largest counties in the United States, thousands of people lack regular access to nutritious food. By organizing and analyzing vast amounts of community data, a pro bono team from McKinsey’s Chicago office helped the Greater Chicago Food Depository, an organization that provides food for over 800,000 people every year, prioritize neighborhoods in the greatest need of support. Tools developed by the team ensure the Depository can effectively distribute 60 million pounds of food, to be optimally distributed without spoilage.
Tackling India’s literacy challenge
India has made significant progress toward improving educational opportunities, but substantial gaps in literacy remain. A pro bono team from our Chennai office helped Pratham, one of India’s largest nongovernmental organizations, develop a five-year plan to expand the organization’s most effective teaching and learning interventions and to build new partnerships to reach more children. Through government partnerships, Pratham has reach over 15 million children in grades 1-8. In addition, Pratham’s direct programs have yielded a 40 percent improvement in basic skills.
Providing aid to refugees in need
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people whose lives have been shattered by conflict and natural disasters. Over the last two years, more than 250 colleagues from our Middle East office have supported IRC in defining opportunities to tackle operational challenges, including pro bono work in 2019 to improve the way the organization delivers its programs to serve beneficiaries. Pilot programs in Lebanon and Jordan based on this work reduced by nearly 50 percent the time refugees must wait to receive financial aid, and by 45 percent the time needed to receive supplies.
Fostering impact unicorns in the start-up world
Norrsken, a Swedish nonprofit, was founded in 2016 to identify “impact unicorns”— business start-ups with the potential to change one billion lives for the better. In 2019, we helped Norrsken on a pro bono basis to launch Impact Week, an event that brought hundreds of start-ups together with venture capital investors to explore how to combine technology and entrepreneurship to address global challenges. This event culminated in the Norrsken Award, the biggest social-impact start-up award in the Nordic region.