Bain & Company has been appointed as the official knowledge partner for the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference, popularly known as COP29. This is the World Green Economy Organization, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11 to 22. More than 50,000 delegates from over 200 countries will attend. 

WGEO will share a Pavilion in the Blue Zone with a number of partners focusing on key areas including climate change, green supply chains, circular business models, sustainable finance, transport decarbonization, gender equality, nature-based capital, food security, and green tourism. 

Bain & Company will co-host two panels in the Pavilion as a knowledge partner: “Materiality as a Lever to Accelerate Sustainability” and “Circular Transformation of Industries.” 

The discussions will talk about transformative sustainability strategies, importance of transparency and accountability, and innovative circularity approaches crucial for fostering both economic and environmental resilience. 

Leading the delegation is Jenny Davis-Peccoud, Firmwide Global Leader of Sustainability & Responsibility. She is joined by three partners based in the Middle East: Wissam Yassine from UAE, Onur Candar, and Volkan Kara from Istanbul. 

Wissam Yassine said accountability is one of the critical transitions of ambition into action, explaining that “at COP28 in Dubai, we pinpointed the importance of accountability in sustainability. By having material topics relevant to every business and disclosing performance metrics, we can drive actual sustainability transformation. Our panel will outline key findings from our engagements with businesses in the MENA region.” 

According to Jenny Davis-Peccoud, “Circularity within industries does not only mitigate environmental impact but also enhance economic efficiency and business growth. In COP29, we would like to demonstrate how the circular economy models generate lasting value and support a sustainable future.” 

Another addition to the speaker roster will be Cate Hight and Torsten Lichtenau from the Bain & Company U.S. offices and the Italian partner, Roberto Prioreschi. 

The last three meetings in Glasgow, Sharm el-Sheikh, and Dubai mark COP29 as one of the pivotal climate summits. Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev said ahead of the gathering that his country remains committed to developing the very basic agenda of climate change, the follow-up negotiations, and the fruitful results of previous summits.