The McKinsey & Company consulting firm, which operates in more than 60 countries and employs more than 30,000 people, presents itself as a values-

How McKinsey cashed in by consulting for both companies and their regulators

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2022-10-06 00:00:24

The McKinsey & Company consulting firm, which operates in more than 60 countries and employs more than 30,000 people, presents itself as a values-driven organization that cares not just about profits, but also about communities around the world. It's a reputation the firm draws on when hiring new consultants, often from the nation's top universities.

"They have a pitch which they present to these students that if you join McKinsey, you can make an impact on the world," New York Times reporter Michael Forsythe told Fresh Air.

But the reality is often more complicated. In a new book, When McKinsey Comes to Town, Forsythe and fellow Times reporter Walt Bogdanich make the case that the company has a history of engaging in ethically questionable work — from helping companies boost tobacco and opioid sales to working with repressive authoritarian regimes, including Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Bogdanich says that McKinsey has a set of values that it posts on the walls of each office and insists its consultants adhere to. First and foremost is that the client's interest always comes first. But, he adds, "What does that mean when you have an opioid manufacturer who's pushing opioids in the middle of an epidemic?"