- Kearney partners with the World Design Congress to support the mission to upskill one million designers by 2030
- Kearney is exploring pro bono work and training initiatives to create new future-proofed opportunities for designers in 2025
CHICAGO, March 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Kearney, a leading global management consulting firm, has today announced a strategic partnership with the World Design Congress.
As a Mission Partner for the World Design Congress, hosted in 2025 by the UK’s Design Council, Kearney will play a pivotal role in shaping conversations on design-led innovation, circular economies, and the intersection of AI and sustainability. This collaboration aligns with Kearney’s mission to harness human creativity and AI-powered innovation to restore ecosystems, uplift communities, and create lasting value for businesses and society.
Kearney will support the World Design Congress on its Legacy initiative to upskill one million designers within five years.
The World Design Congress aims to do this by:
- Bringing together educators, trainers, and designers, to help shape the program
- Developing the green design upskilling program collaboratively with designers
- Driving investment from both government and private sector sources
The Kearney and World Design Congress partnership will be showcased at the 2025 World Design Congress in London, where industry leaders, policymakers, and innovators will gather to explore how design, AI, and sustainability can drive systemic change.
Key Focus Areas
- Impact-First Innovation – Embedding sustainability as a core driver of business transformation
- AI as a Creative Ally – Reframing artificial intelligence as a tool to enhance human ingenuity and empathy
- Circular Design Thinking – Embedding regenerative principles into product life cycles and business models
- Future-Ready Business Strategies –.Guiding industries through sustainable design and technology shifts
Flagship Event: Re:Design Tomorrow
Re:Design Tomorrow, Kearney’s flagship event, will take place in September alongside the World Design Congress, featuring expert-led panels and fireside chats on topics including:
- AI, Emotional Design, and Brand Loyalty – How AI-driven emotional design is reshaping customer connections, fostering deeper, more meaningful relationships, and turning engagement into long-term brand advocacy
- Impact-First Innovation – Prioritizing sustainability, ethical AI, and real-world impact to ensure that technological advancements serve both people and the planet
- Human-Centric, Future-Ready Tech – Aligning emerging technologies with long-term, adaptable, and sustainable design
Bharat Kapoor, Partner & Global Lead of PERLab, Kearney, said:
“Kearney’s approach to design focuses on reimagining the status quo, starting with impact and then challenging conventions at every stage—from strategy to prototype—to create lasting client and customer value. At Kearney, we believe that design is more than aesthetics—it’s a catalyst for meaningful change.
“Our partnership with the Design Council builds on our ambition to bring visionary leaders and groundbreaking ideas together to forge a powerful alliance between creativity and strategic insight, redefining product and service design’s future—one focused on advancing human centricity, technology-driven innovation, and long-term sustainability.”
Minnie Moll, Chief Executive of the Design Council, hosts of the World Design Congress London 2025, added:
“We are thrilled to be working with Kearney to support the World Design Congress, a pivotal moment for the global design community. As we face urgent challenges in addressing the climate crisis, this collaboration brings together strategic insight and design innovation to drive real impact in helping businesses embrace both tech and circular design solutions. By uniting expertise across disciplines, we can help shape a future where design is at the forefront of building a truly regenerative future.”
Notes to Editor
About Kearney
Kearney is a leading global management consulting firm. For nearly 100 years, we have been a trusted advisor to C-suites, government bodies, and nonprofit organizations. Our people make us who we are. Driven to be the difference between a big idea and making it happen, we work alongside our clients to regenerate their businesses to create a future that works for everyone.
To learn more about Kearney, please visit www.kearney.com
About the Design Council
The Design Council is the UK’s national strategic advisor for design, championing design and its ability to make life better for all. It is an independent and not for profit organisation incorporated by Royal Charter. The Design Council uniquely works across all design sectors and delivers programmes with business, government, public bodies and the third sector. Their work encompasses thought leadership, tools and resources, showcasing excellence, and research to evidence the value of design and influence policy. Their Design for Planet mission was introduced in 2021 to galvanise and support the 1.97 million people who work in the UK’s design economy to help achieve net zero and beyond. In September 2025 the Design Council will host the prestigious World Design Congress as a catalytic moment in driving the sector towards designing for planet.
designcouncil.org.uk
@designcouncil
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