The 2022 Top Consultants: Laura Corb

Senior Partner and Lead of McKinsey Sustainability in North America Laura leads McKinsey's client service and capability building in North America across the Sustainability practice's five pillars of Net Zero & ESG Strategy, Green Business Building, Decarbonization Transformation, Net Zero Financial Institutions and Sustainable Investing.

She has worked at McKinsey for over 28 years, developing new businesses and driving business performance and growth transformations primarily in the Tech, Media & Entertainment, and Telecom Industries.

Laura serves on McKinsey's Board where she Chairs the Finance & Infrastructure Committee. She also serves on the Global Social Responsibility Council. Previous roles include leading the Strategy & Corporate Finance Practice for the Americas and the Innovation Service line globally. She is a frequent speaker at corporate events and conferences on Net Zero Strategy and works with players across the sustainability ecosystem, including standard setters and NGOs.

Laura serves on the board of trustees of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, and the Boards of Generation and TechnoServe. In addition, she served on the Board and Executive Committee of the Ad Council and the Board of A Better Chance. Laura was a David Rockefeller Fellow. Laura has a B.A. in Social Studies from Harvard University and an MBA from Stanford's Graduate School of Business.

What has motivated you to excel over the course of your career?

I am intrinsically motivated to do everything in my power to help my clients – both the institutions and the individuals – frame bold aspirations and succeed in delivering them. It is particularly inspiring to be doing so while simultaneously tackling some of the most important societal and business opportunities and challenges of our time through the lenses of sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion.

I draw a lot of inspiration from my grandmother, who started her career as a lawyer in New York City in the early 1930s. She was someone who was able to break barriers and drive lasting change, especially during the early days of labor law.

In the days since my grandmother fought to carve out a career, women have made remarkable progress in the workplace. But as McKinsey's research shows, there are also persistent gaps in the corporate pipeline: promotions at the first step up to manager are not equitable, and women of color lose ground in representation at every level. Through my work within McKinsey and with my clients, I am motivated to create a culture in which women, and all employees, feel comfortable bringing their unique ideas, perspectives and experiences to the table. When women and other underrepresented groups are respected and their contributions are valued, they are more likely to be happy in their jobs and to feel connected to their co-workers.

What do you enjoy most about your career in the consulting industry?

I most enjoy driving fundamental change on mission-driven efforts—and over the course of my career that has looked vastly different. When my career first began, I worked with telecom companies to extend high-speed internet access for schools. I also built successful digital businesses from scratch, including one that transformed the economics of a major sports league and worked on efforts to improve DE&I in the entertainment industry.

Now, in my 28th year at McKinsey, I have found my ultimate professional calling. Last year, I became the head of McKinsey Sustainability in North America, activating the firm's expertise, insights, and capabilities to take on climate change—one of the biggest challenges facing the world today. The scale and urgency of the work can seem daunting, but I am inspired by the innovation and collaboration that businesses are bringing to the challenge. In any given week, I may be helping a green startup accelerate their commercialization, a financial institution align their portfolio toward net-zero, a consumer products company to "greensheet" their business model, or working with a procurement team to help eliminate emissions across their value chain.

This role is the perfect collision of my passions and skills – CEO counseling and strategy, transformation in the face of disruption, mission-driven work, people leadership and firm building. Everything I have done at McKinsey until now has naturally come together in this remarkable mechanism for change to help ensure that the transition is not only orderly, but also just and inclusive.

What's the best advice you've ever been given?

A client once gave me the advice to "listen to what is not being said in the room."

I have strived to follow this advice ever since, often considering: Where is there a mismatch between the body language and what is being said? What underlying motivations or concerns are in the room but are not being voiced? What stakeholder perspectives are not being represented? I have found this approach to be incredibly helpful in a wide range of settings, from boardrooms to working on the front lines to improve a customer experience.