How we give back

Across the world, our colleagues are committed to serving their local communities

Giving back is a key part of McKinsey’s efforts to accelerate sustainable and inclusive growth. In 2021, our colleagues around the world spent 25,000 hours volunteering. We recognize colleagues and offices that made a significant impact through our Giving Back Awards.

Learn about some of the projects that made a big impact.

Beijing

A greener city for all

Our Beijing office dedicated volunteer time to a range of activities in sustainability and inclusivity. In 2022, our colleagues mentored 50 college students in designing proposals for a circular city and planted trees in a suburb to combat climate change. To reduce inequality in the community, the Beijing office worked closely with an NGO to co-create a four-week workshop on creating jobs for people with disabilities. Our colleagues also helped build two libraries and collect hundreds of donations of clothes and books for the children of migrant workers.

I’ve spent most of my career as an NGO founder, and leveraging corporate support was a critical piece in overall impact delivery. Now that I’m on the other side, our work has allowed me to think more systematically about how people can be mobilized to help overcome hurdles standing in the way of real change and lasting impact.
Charlene, junior associate, Beijing

Dubai

Refugee education and empowerment

Spurred by deep connections to refugee communities, our Dubai office advanced education and social enterprise activities at refugee camps in Lebanon. Working alongside the Alsama Project, an NGO serving roughly 600 students across three refugee camps, our colleagues taught math, English, and Arabic at education centers, coached cricket at sports hubs, and supported an embroidery studio that created regular income for refugee families.

Working with and meeting refugees taught me a lot about resilience. Thanks to them, I was able to find my own strength during difficult times and focus my energy on helping those who need it most.
Polina, senior associate, Dubai

Manila

Empowering disadvantaged youth to succeed

Our Manila office joined forces with the Virlanie Foundation, a non-profit organization that aids homeless and disadvantaged children of all ages, to equip students in the Philippines with job-ready skills. In addition, our colleagues helped the foundation transform its capability-building programs to be fully self-sustaining. Of the students surveyed, 87% strongly agreed they are more confident preparing for their professional careers—and 100% agreed our colleagues’ contributions were valuable and effective.

Volunteering is an amazing way to give back to our communities and use our skills to improve the lives of people we care about, while also building a community of like-minded colleagues.
Frauke, engagement manager, Manila

New York

Connecting with neighbors in the city

Our New York office embraced a variety of community initiatives, helping New Yorkers who speak English as a second language develop their professional skills, volunteering at local food pantries, and cleaning trash off the city’s streets. In 2021, to honor the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, 75 of our colleagues gathered to pack meals for first responders, survivors, and the families of those impacted.

Volunteering gives me a sense of identity, life satisfaction, and the feeling of accomplishment. It makes me feel like I can change the world for the better, one step at a time.
Nina, senior paralegal, New York

Poland

On-the-ground aid for refugees

Due to their proximity to Ukraine, our three Poland offices (Poznan, Warsaw, and Wroclaw) have witnessed firsthand the extreme human suffering of war. The outpouring of support from the outset was tremendous, with colleagues rapidly self-organizing to welcome refugees at the border, offer shelter in their own homes, donate to local NGOs, and help survivors navigate their new surroundings. Our firm continues to provide resources and support to Ukrainian refugees.

The impact of our collective volunteerism on individual lives has been incredible to witness firsthand. From helping keep refugees warm during winter months with sleeping bags collected in our office, to hosting refugees in our own homes and even celebrating a one-year-old boy’s birthday with cakes and gifts from our colleagues, it is amazing to know each person and see that we have touched so many lives.
Marek, capabilities and insights specialist, Wroclaw

San José

One office, 1,600 volunteers

Our office in Costa Rica brought a holistic approach to its community development efforts, which ranged from education to the economy to sustainability, and offered several group volunteer opportunities throughout the year. Over 1,600 colleagues came together for a diverse range of activities, including planting a botanical garden, volunteering at a food bank, and renovating a technical high school that predominantly serves Black students.

Volunteering made me appreciate what I have now, reminded me there’s always something we can do to help, and allowed me to meet incredible people with different interests but the same passion for giving.
Laura, executive assistant, San José