Define and deliver credible scope 3 decarbonization pathways
Build circular business models and unlock value from waste
Embed ESG into procurement, product design, and operations
Translate sustainability into growth, resilience, and margin impact
How we partner
Kearney is a trusted partner for companies seeking to lead on sustainability, not just comply. We bring a proven track record, deep industry expertise, and a comprehensive transformation framework to help our clients turn ESG ambition into measurable impact. Our capabilities span the full spectrum of sustainability transformation, from strategy to execution, across five core areas:
ESG transformation
We help our clients embed sustainability into the core of their business: strategy, governance, and operations. Our four-phase transformation framework (Plant, Nurture, Grow, Harvest) guides organizations from ambition setting to capability building and value realization. We help companies align leadership, redesign operating models, and develop effective change management programs that endure. Our approach is grounded in Kearney’s FIT™ framework, which ensures sustainability is integrated across structure, systems, skills, and culture.Net zero and scope 3 decarbonization
We design and implement decarbonization pathways that go beyond scope 1 and 2 to tackle the complexity of scope 3. Our work includes double materiality assessments, marginal abatement cost curve modeling, and supplier engagement strategies. We help our clients prioritize high-impact methods such as alternative feedstocks, circularity, and logistics decarbonization and translate them into actionable road maps. Our Energy Transition Institute and PERLab provide cutting-edge insights and tools to accelerate progress.Sustainable and responsible sourcing
We embed ESG into procurement and supply chain strategies to create both compliance and competitive advantage. From carbon-informed RFPs to supplier diversity and risk management, we help our clients build resilient, responsible supply ecosystems. Our work encompasses supplier segmentation, ESG scorecarding, and integrating sustainability into category strategies. We also help companies align with initiatives such as Together for Sustainability (TfS) and meet their CSRD and SBTi-aligned procurement goals.Circularity
We help companies transition from linear to circular business models. Our Circular Hub provides end-to-end support—from footprint assessments and product redesign to reverse logistics and ecosystem partnerships. We work across the plastics, packaging, and materials value chains to scale mechanical and advanced recycling, bio-based alternatives, and waste-to-value solutions. Our approach is grounded in economic and emissions modeling to ensure that circularity delivers both environmental and financial returns.Equitable and inclusive societies
We help our clients advance DEI, supplier diversity, and social impact initiatives. Our work spans workforce equity diagnostics, inclusive operating model design, and community engagement strategies. We help organizations transition from compliance to leadership by integrating equity into their governance, talent, and procurement systems. Our change management and communications playbooks ensure these efforts are sustained and scaled across the enterprise.
Why Kearney?
Sustainability is in our system
Kearney is a recognized leader in ESG and decarbonization strategies, with a proven track record of helping companies move from ambition to action. We bring unmatched depth in chemicals, operations, and sustainability, backed by proprietary tools, global partnerships, and a transformation approach that delivers measurable results.
We support more than 300 sustainability projects a year, with a global team of more than 100 ESG experts. Our clients include 19 of the top 25 international chemicals companies, and we are proud to be the first top-tier consulting firm with SBTi-approved net-zero targets. We are a founding partner of Together for Sustainability (TfS) and have been recognized with a Platinum rating by EcoVadis and an A rating by CDP.
Our sustainability leadership is built on five pillars:
Strategy-led, value-driven
We help our clients define a sustainability ambition that is tightly aligned with business strategy and stakeholder expectations. Our four-phase transformation framework—Plant, Nurture, Grow, Harvest—guides organizations from ambition setting to capability building and value realization. We focus on value creation, not just compliance, helping companies unlock new revenue streams, reduce costs, and mitigate risk.
Embedded in the operating model
We embed sustainability into the core of how organizations operate across governance, structure, processes, and culture. Our FIT™ framework ensures sustainability is integrated across all dimensions of the operating model. We also bring deep change management expertise to ensure that sustainability becomes a sustained way of working, not a one-off initiative.
Powered by specialized platforms
We bring a suite of proprietary platforms and innovation hubs to accelerate impact:
- The Kearney Sustainable Materials Institute helps companies transition to low-impact materials through data-driven sourcing, design for sustainability, and ecosystem partnerships.
- Our Circular Hub supports companies in building circular business models, from footprint assessments and product redesign to reverse logistics and M&A strategies.
- PERLab enables sustainable product innovation through design-to-value, rapid prototyping, and packaging CO₂ analysis—having analyzed more than 4,500 products and delivered CO₂ improvements in more than 20 projects.
Trusted and proven
We’ve helped leading chemicals companies embed ESG into procurement, design scope 3 decarbonization strategies, and build circularity roadmaps across plastics and packaging. Our clients rely on us to deliver not only strategy but also implementation through operating model redesign, supplier engagement, and the tracking of measurable impact.
Anchored in thought leadership and ecosystem reach
Kearney is a recognized thought leader in sustainability, with more than 70 articles published in the past three years and active partnerships with the World Economic Forum, the Global Business Policy Council, and the Energy Transition Institute. Our ecosystem includes alliances with NGOs, start-ups, and technology providers to deliver end-to-end sustainability transformations.