A.T. Kearney Announces Worldwide Sustainability Initiative and Commits to Moving to a Carbon-Neutral Consulting Service Over the Next Two Years

CHICAGO (17 September 2007)— Global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney today announced plans to move to a carbon-neutral consulting model within two years. The company said its commitment to carbon-neutrality applies to all aspects of its global operations—both internal and client-facing activities—and is one part of a larger sustainability effort being launched across the firm’s offices in 33 countries.

A.T. Kearney said it will develop a series of innovative alternative delivery mechanisms the firm's 1,500 consultants around the world can use for providing consulting services in a more sustainable and environmentally friendly way. Efforts will focus on reducing the frequency of business travel and using collaborative technology to maintain the firm's hallmark collaborative working style in a more environmentally sustainable fashion.

"The travel inherent in the consulting industry gives it a disproportionately large carbon footprint compared with many other professional services organizations," said Paul Laudicina, managing officer and chairman of A.T. Kearney. "As our clients increasingly make sustainability commitments to their stakeholders, we are dedicated to doing all we can to help them maintain those commitments when utilizing consulting services."

The firm announced the global sustainability effort to address the impact the company’s activities have on the environment. A.T. Kearney pledged to become carbon neutral within the next two years by reducing its own emissions and investing in climate-protecting projects meeting the highest international quality standards. Consistent with this pledge will be initiatives to limit internal travel; shift necessary travel from air to rail as feasible; select services from among carbon-efficient airlines, hotels and rental car companies; increase the use of public transit; and further increase energy and resource efficiency in its operations.

"We are seeking to change our own behavior and help shape the way our consultants think about sustainability." Laudicina said. 'We anticipate this issue will bring a fundamental paradigm shift to the consulting industry and we intend to be at the forefront in adjusting to changing client expectations and needs."

A.T. Kearney's commitment to sustainability also extends to the work it is doing for clients. The firm is tapping its 80-year heritage in strategy and operations consulting to help companies and governments develop comprehensive sustainability strategies and establish supply chains with sustainable solutions in mind.

"We will be looking at all our client work through the prism of sustainability," Laudicina said. "Learning to grow profitably and delivering value for all stakeholders in a resource-limited and threatened global environment is a fundamental business challenge of this century."

About A.T. Kearney
A.T. Kearney is a global strategic management consulting firm known for helping clients gain lasting results through a unique combination of strategic insight and collaborative working style. The firm was established in 1926 to provide management advice concerning issues on the CEO's agenda. Today, we serve the largest global clients in all major industries. A.T. Kearney's offices are located in major business centers in 33 countries.