To equip our members and their companies, we are offering a three-part series of events with McKinsey, to bring the best thinking to boardrooms on achieving net zero and effecting meaningful change. This will build on the success of our 2022 series.
Getting to net zero and a sustainable future beyond that will require tremendous, rapid change and large-scale technology deployment across industries. The transition will create massive opportunities to build entirely new businesses, opening new markets and imperilling others. Businesses that innovate quickly and collaborate effortlessly across value chains will take advantage of many growth opportunities and evolve their climate strategy to risk-based resilience with strategic value creation.
The 2023 collaboration between Chapter Zero and McKinsey is a series of three face-to-face events exploring the latest thinking on the impact non-executives can have in the boardroom to help their organisations achieve net zero.
A central idea this decade is achieving low carbon growth. How should institutions across the UK (and beyond) double down at the intersection of decarbonisation and economic growth? What are the ‘green prizes’ and where are the structural advantages and drawbacks? How can boards steer their management teams to pursue green prizes systematically? What impetus will the global context offer – resurgent economies, new climate frameworks, changing financial flows, shifting supply chains, and evolving human behaviours?
This series will explore these themes and offer non-executive directors the latest thinking to discuss with peers and consider how they can apply this in their own boardrooms.
Session 3 – Drawing impetus from the global context
Wednesday 8 November, 4:00pm to 7:00pm GMT
Join us for the final session in this series. Even with good intent, impact is not certain. This unprecedented transformation of the global economy needs change from the grassroots and a joined-up approach across public and private sectors. Hear the expectations for COP28 from those with experience of the process and how boards can help organizations make the most of what may be coming next for businesses.
| The events will take place in a central London location. Face-to-face places are limited, so we recommend booking your space on this exclusive programme now.
All sessions will run from 16:00 to 19:00, which includes networking opportunities before and after the main sessions (which will be from 16:30 to 18:00). Each session will be led by Harry Bowcott and Jayanti Kar, leaders of McKinsey’s Sustainability Practice in the UK, and principal McKinsey subject matter experts. Instead of roundtables, this year’s events will offer a Q&A section to explore emerging challenges and solutions. |
The series so far
Session 1 – Grow or go: leading the transition
The unprecedented economic transformation inherent in the transition to net-zero might mobilise $9.2 trillion of capital per year through 2050 into low-emissions assets and enabling infrastructure. Growing demand for net-zero offerings could generate more than $12 trillion of annual sales by 2030 across sectors such as transport, power, and hydrogen. We describe the strategic fundamentals of green growth, deepen our awareness through a showcase on its contribution to the UK’s future economic revival and present the kind of questions this change will provoke in the boardroom.
You can read the session summary here.
Session 2 – Mobilising boards to inspire management agendas
Having explored the requirements for low carbon growth, we investigate how boards and non-executive directors can help move corporate perceptions and actions towards a low-carbon future. How can they plant the seed for pursuing green prizes? How do they motivate value creating transition plans? When should they evangelise on high value albeit high risk moves? How would they help their management teams steer the course given diverse shareholder objectives?
You can read the session summary here.
In partnership with
Susan Hooper
Director, Chapter ZeroSusan is Chair of Enhanced Biomass Sequestration in Perth and sits on the Boards of Eurowag (ESG and workforce Lead), Moonpig plc (Chair of Remuneration Committee, ESG and workforce Lead), Uber UK, The Rank Group plc (Chair of the ESG & Safer Gambling Committee) and Affinity Water Ltd. (Chair of Remuneration Committee). Susan is a founding Director of Chapter Zero. Susan is actively involved in several start-ups in property, carbon capture and sustainability, and medical technology. She is also an Ambassador for World Travel & Tourism Counsel focused on sustainability. Prior to this, Susan was Managing Director of British Gas Residential Services. Susan joined British Gas from the Acromas Group where she was Chief Executive of the Travel Division, responsible for Saga Holidays, Hotels, Cruises, the AA Travel division and Titan Travel. Previously, she held senior roles at Royal Caribbean International, Avis Europe, PepsiCo International, McKinsey & Co, and Saatchi & Saatchi living in over 7 countries worldwide.
Laurel Powers-Freeling
Director, Chapter ZeroLaurel has participated on over 20 boards and is currently the Chair of Uber UK, Sumitomo Mitsui Bank International Plc, Moneybox (a digital, app-based savings and investment platform) and Majid Al Futtaim Global Solutions (a shared service providing IT, finance, human capital, procurement and other support in the Gulf Region). In the life science and healthcare arena, Laurel currently chairs Cambridge University Health Partners (the Government-designated Academic Health Science Centre for Cambridge) and Cambridge Biomedical Campus Ltd (a world-leading location for life science research, scaling and healthcare delivery). She is also a Fellow/Trustee of Hughes Hall, University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music. Laurel has held a wide range of non-executive roles previously, including as a member of the Court of the Bank of England, returning to act as a Senior Advisor in the wake of the Financial Crisis. Laurel has had previous engagement on climate-related issues as a NED for Environmental Resources Management LLP, a global environmental consultancy, and while on the Executive Board of the MIT Sloan School, where she supported joint work with the Smithsonian Institution on changing sea levels. Having started her career at McKinsey, she went first to Morgan Stanley and then on to hold senior management or board-level executive roles, at the Prudential, Lloyds Bank Group, Marks & Spencer plc and American Express.
Harry Bowcott
Senior Partner, McKinseyHarry leads McKinsey’s Sustainability practice in the UK, as well as their work in Green Growth (building new sustainability-focused businesses) globally. Prior to that, Harry led McKinsey’s Transport, Logistics and Infrastructure practice in the UK. Across more than 15 years of advisory experience, Harry’s work has focused mainly on how the interface between the private and the public sector can be more productive, with particular focus on major project delivery across transport infrastructure, electricity generation and defence. Harry is a published author of multiple papers on decarbonisation and adaptation, and he is a regular speaker on these topics seeking to galvanise senior executive to action. Harry led McKinsey’s preparations for COP26 and their partnership with UNFCCC on resilience. Prior to joining McKinsey, Harry was a Portfolio Manager at Procter & Gamble.
Jayanti Kar
Partner, McKinseyJayanti is a leader on Sustainability in McKinsey’s Global Energy and Materials Practice, serving companies in the energy value chain on sustainable growth and operations. Since joining McKinsey in 2003, Jayanti has worked extensively on energy transition strategies for oil and gas operators. She has served energy clients across Europe, Africa and Asia, and specialises in helping companies shift their portfolios and operating models amidst the energy transition. Most recently, she has led on a number of business transformations, working with clients on developing sustainable strategies in order to curb carbon growth. Jayanti is widely published and has authored several articles on the topics of sustainable growth and operations. In 2013, Jayanti took a year-long leave of absence from McKinsey to restructure and run a family business.
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