BCG acquires environmental sustainability consultancy Quantis
International environmental and sustainability consultancy Quantis has been purchased by Boston Consulting Group. The move comes as the strategy giant looks to bolster its sustainability credentials and aid clients with the transition to net zero.
Following the Paris agreement, many businesses have launched net zero targets which link back to the Paris Agreement. In order to ensure those targets are effective, and to prevent ‘green-washing’, establishing them as ‘science-based’ has become crucial. To that end, numerous consulting firms are ramping up their capacity to advise on science-based targets for their clients.
Founded in 2006, Quantis has since assembled a team of more than 250 environmental experts and transformation specialists across Europe and the United States.
In the years following the Paris climate accord, Quantis has established a track record of implementing science-based, systems-level approaches to accelerate sustainable business transformation.
This positioning has attracted interest from global strategy giant Boston Consulting Group (BCG). The firm has been looking to enhance its offering on sustainability at pace in recent times – from acting as a headline sponsor to the COP26 and COP27 climate conferences, to actively calling on climate activists to join the firm.
Now, the American firm has confirmed the purchase of Quantis, for an undisclosed fee, in a deal which will see the company operate as a standalone business unit within BCG (similar to for instance BrightHouse and Inverto).
“Bringing together Quantis and BCG is an exciting step in strengthening our ability to help clients protect our planet and transform sustainably,” commented Christoph Schweizer, CEO of BCG. “Many of the CEOs I speak to want to take action but are looking for the kind of deep expertise our Quantis team offers to solve their complex problems. I am proud to welcome this accomplished and passionate team to BCG.”
Quantis will retain its brand, operating out of offices in the Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy and the US. By becoming part of BCG, the firm hopes to increase its international reach, assisting clients around the world to shape policies, practices and business models aligned with net zero goals, while building resilience, unlocking innovation, and optimising performance. The firm will also hold onto its original leadership team.
Dimitri Caudrelier, Quantis CEO, said, “The stakes for our planet have never been higher. This deal will enable us to take a critical leap towards achieving our vision for a new planetary economy. I am also thrilled about the opportunities it will create for Quantisians to raise their level of impact and grow professionally. Uniting with BCG will enable us to fast-track the science-driven sustainable transformation to which Quantis has been unwaveringly committed since our start.”
The news echoes other key developments in consulting’s heating sustainability M&A scene. This month, Accenture added London-headquartered Carbon Intelligence to its Sustainability service line, and earlier this year, the company bolted-on several sustainability consultancies across continental Europe. One of BCG’s main rivals, McKinsey & Company, last year closed three sustainability-focused acquisitions.
Meanwhile, consulting firm Kearney’s own net zero plans receive SBTi backing, in what is claimed to be an industry-first.
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is a global body enabling businesses, formed to evaluate the ambitious emissions reductions targets set by companies. It works to ensure they are in line with the latest climate science. As well as independently assessing and approving targets, it also offers guidance to reduce barriers to adoption.
