As I write this, we are in the midst of a once‑in‑a‑generation global humanitarian challenge. The COVID‑19 pandemic has upended billions of lives, taking a disproportionate toll on vulnerable populations. People without education, steady employment, adequate income, or access to healthcare are at heightened risk to their lives and livelihoods.
This health crisis has now been joined by a social crisis—one brought into sharp focus as examples of brutal racial injustice have sparked a vehement, visceral outcry that has continued for weeks. Every day, there are countless stories of people who are suffering from these dual scourges. Fortunately, there are also many inspiring stories of people and institutions stepping up worldwide to help. The world needs more of these stories.
So while 2019 seems like the distant past, I believe that the stories of how our firm made a positive difference in the lives of others last year are as relevant as ever. The colleagues behind these stories are living our purpose: to help create positive, enduring change in the world. They demonstrate their commitment, and ours, to giving back to our communities, making our organization more environmentally sustainable and socially responsible, and embedding social responsibility in our client work.
This report serves as our second Communication on Progress, and we’re proud to align our social impact work with many of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. We remain unwavering in our commitment to do more to tackle societal challenges and to report on our progress as a staunch participant and supporter of the UN Global Compact and its Ten Principles.
I hope these stories bring you renewed optimism and inspiration, as they have for me. For next year’s report, I look forward to sharing stories of colleagues who rose to the challenges of the current crises and helped to responsibly plan for what lies ahead. We are committed to doing our part and are humbled to be working shoulder to shoulder with our fellow citizens as we work to help save lives, safeguard livelihoods, protect our shared communities, and ensure racial justice and inclusion for all.
At McKinsey, we choose to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges—and we are early on a journey to ensure that our purpose is reflected in all we do to overcome them. We will learn from our experiences, and from one another, along the way. We will continue to assess the scale of the challenges and measure our collective impact on them. Doing so will help us ensure that our contributions matter and that we’re helping create positive, enduring change in the world.
Kevin Sneader
Global Managing Partner
McKinsey & Company