Through our ESG strategy, we help organizations achieve competitiveness in a decarbonized future. We lead by example and take ambitious steps to zero emissions.
Stefan Schaible on Roland Berger’s ESG Commitment
Our focus on environmental, social and corporate governance
We at Roland Berger consider it our duty to pay particular attention to the further development of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and we make special efforts to improve in this area continuously and substantially. As a global company, we live up to our social responsibility by treating our employees, clients, suppliers and the environment with respect and a mindset of sustainability. At the same time, we see our role as consultants as one of helping our clients achieve these future-oriented aims. We will continue to intensify our efforts to move forward in this area over the coming years.
Human rights – Our commitment to diversity
As the only consulting firm of European origin with a strong international presence, diversity, equality and inclusion are part of our identity. We believe that many different cultures and the perspectives of employees from different backgrounds and educational qualifications enrich us as human beings and further improve the quality of our work. We are therefore committed to making our firm an inclusive, performance-oriented world that sees our differences as an enrichment. That is why we build on and are guided by the diversity we have achieved so far, and we strive to work with suppliers and clients that likewise value these aspects.
We believe that we are on the right path. But we still have a way to go – with the help with our outstanding people.
Labor rights – Our responsibility to support our people in volatile times
As a firm, we are constantly facing new challenges. We also need to inspire our people. With this in mind, we have introduced our New Work Initiative and developed a series of actions to promote ownership, improve health and wellbeing, and encourage self-organization. We do this, for example, by implementing agile working principles and using Project Commitments at the start of projects, helping improve work-life balance.
A sense of belonging is important to us. That’s why we emphasize a management style that expresses appreciation and promotes personal development. We are proud that our employees attach great importance to the meaning and purpose of their work. Only with this mindset can we find the right answers to the challenges we face.
Work relationships are becoming more and more virtual. To maintain social connection, we help our people develop a new solidarity and care for themselves and their colleagues. Having a corporate culture that is lived and experienced by all is what makes us stand out as a firm.
Environment – Beyond climate neutrality
To ensure transparency over our reduction targets, Roland Berger has committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). We have conducted a full accounting process in accordance with the GHG Protocol to understand our carbon footprint and are committed to achieving net zero by 2040. As a non-manufacturing company, Scope 3 emissions such as travel make up a large part of our footprint. We have taken effective measures to reduce these emissions, including reviewing our company car policy, switching to renewable energy and increasing remote working. We also see ourselves as a multiplier, with the opportunity to do much more for the environment and promote climate protection together with our clients. To this end, we have set up a sustainability consulting team to provide thought leadership, analytical insight and tailored strategic solutions for clients. Our sustainability and climate action experts help decision-makers radically improve their organization’s short and long-term environmental impact and strategy.
Data security and anti-corruption measures
Data security is a top priority at Roland Berger. We apply the highest standards to our IT systems, including regular external audits. Besides client data, we also take the security of employee data very seriously. We apply the terms of the GDPR as a minimum standard in all the countries where we work, and carefully check how our data is processed.
We are committed to taking action against corruption of all types. To this end, we have introduced the KYC (know your customer) and KYS (know your supplier) principles, employing rules that comply with or go beyond the legal requirements. We have zero tolerance for unethical conduct. We also ask our people to keep their eyes open for any abuses, and offer them the opportunity to anonymously report violations immediately via our whistleblower system.
For more detail, please refer to our ESG report.
Further readings
