Two in five over 55s would climate snub a firm with the wrong ESG credentials, survey reveals

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Campaigners say research nails the ‘myth’ that older workers ‘don’t get it’ when it comes to the environment

by Juliette Rowsell 25 September 2023

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Two fifths (39 per cent) of over 55s would turn down a pay rise at a company that they considered unethical or non-sustainable, a survey of 2,000 people by Resource Solutions has found.

A further one in four (27 per cent) respondents over the age of 55 said they would ‘climate quit’ if they felt their employer was ‘greenwashing’ its environmental efforts.

The results are being seen by some campaigners for older workers as evidence that assumptions about their climate complacency are misplaced.

Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, told People Management : “There's sometimes an assumption that older people simply ‘don't get it’ about climate change, but these findings show that's really a myth.

“It's what we often hear from older people too, many of whom tell us they are deeply concerned about the increasingly obvious impact of global warming and what this may mean for the future of the planet and for younger generations, too."

Luke Price, senior research and policy manager for work at the Centre for Ageing Better, argued that perceptions of older workers and ESG views were one of “a number of negative stereotypes” that can be a “barrier to them finding work”.

“It should come as no surprise that older workers are just as keen as other generations that their employers talk the talk and walk the walk when it comes to being sustainable,” said Price.

ONS research found that more than seven in 10 50-69 year olds were worried or very worried about climate change – “a similar proportion to 25 to 34 year olds”, Price noted. “Other academic studies have shown there is almost no difference in views between generations on the importance of climate action or their willingness to make sacrifices to help limit climate change.”

Older workers can help create a more productive and innovative team, he said, adding that older workers tend to stay in their roles for longer, which can help reduce costs to a company.

Tom Lakin, global practice director at Resource Solutions, said it was “vital” for businesses to retain “loyal employees with decades of experience behind them” amid current skills shortages, and to not underestimate the ESG-consciousness of employees over 55. “While it is often assumed that younger generations are more environmentally and socially conscious than their older colleagues, our data paints a more nuanced picture,” Lakin said.

“The world has experienced a pandemic, a recession and the ever-escalating climate crisis in just a few years and employees are more than ever seeking a purpose-driven, inclusive and value-led employer.”

Overall, a third (35 per cent) of the UK’s workers would consider climate quitting, highlighting the growing importance of ESG factors in employee decision making. Furthermore, half of all respondents (48 per cent) said they would ‘never’ consider a job in certain professions for environmental and moral reasons, even if it offered a competitive package.

Gen Z employees are the most environmentally conscious age demographic, with more than half (54 per cent) saying they would leave their current position if their employer were found to be guilty of greenwashing.

Lakin said: “To attract skilled employees of all ages and retain the best talent across the board, investing in improving their employee sustainability proposition needs to be a top priority for businesses.

“As an example, employers can weave the company’s wider ESG mission into the job descriptions for all advertised roles, not just ‘green jobs’ – giving people in all areas of the businesses a chance to be involved and demonstrate their commitment to the environment.”

The news follows previous research by OnePoll, which found half (48 per cent) of firms were not measuring the impact of their ESG plans, despite this being supported by business leaders.

Employees said they also felt “cut out” of ESG reporting processes, with 56 per cent saying they did not have access to dashboards to understand how their organisations were performing against business targets.

Only a third (36 per cent) of respondents felt that their company’s environmental targets had been turned into “actionable plans”, despite these being a “top priority” for 70 per cent of employees.

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Campaigners say research nails the ‘myth’ that older workers ‘don’t get it’ when it comes to the environment. by Juliette Rowsell 25 September 2023. Share article on Twitter. Share article on Facebook. Share article on LinkedIn. Two fifths (39 per cent) of over 55s would turn down a pay rise at a company that they considered unethical or non-sustainable, a survey of 2,000 people by Resource Solutions has found. A further one in four (27 per cent) respondents over the age of 55 said they would ‘climate quit’ if they felt their employer was ‘greenwashing’ its environmental efforts. The results are being seen by some campaigners for older workers as evidence that assumptions about their climate complacency are misplaced. Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, told People Management : “There's sometimes an assumption that older people simply ‘don't get it’ about climate change, but these findings show that's really a myth. “It's what we often hear from older people too, many of whom tell us they are deeply concerned about the increasingly obvious impact of global warming and what this may mean for the future of the planet and for younger generations, too." Luke Price, senior research and policy manager for work at the Centre for Ageing Better, argued that perceptions of older workers and ESG views were one of “a number of negative stereotypes” that can be a “barrier to them finding work”. “It should come as no surprise that older workers are just as keen as other generations that their employers talk the talk and walk the walk when it comes to being sustainable,” said Price. ONS research found that more than seven in 10 50-69 year olds were worried or very worried about climate change – “a similar proportion to 25 to 34 year olds”, Price noted. “Other academic studies have shown there is almost no difference in views between generations on the importance of climate action or their willingness to make sacrifices to help limit climate change.” Older workers can help create a more productive and innovative team, he said, adding that older workers tend to stay in their roles for longer, which can help reduce costs to a company. Tom Lakin, global practice director at Resource Solutions, said it was “vital” for businesses to retain “loyal employees with decades of experience behind them” amid current skills shortages, and to not underestimate the ESG-consciousness of employees over 55. “While it is often assumed that younger generations are more environmentally and socially conscious than their older colleagues, our data paints a more nuanced picture,” Lakin said. “The world has experienced a pandemic, a recession and the ever-escalating climate crisis in just a few years and employees are more than ever seeking a purpose-driven, inclusive and value-led employer.” Overall, a third (35 per cent) of the UK’s workers would consider climate quitting, highlighting the growing importance of ESG factors in employee decision making. Furthermore, half of all respondents (48 per cent) said they would ‘never’ consider a job in certain professions for environmental and moral reasons, even if it offered a competitive package. Gen Z employees are the most environmentally conscious age demographic, with more than half (54 per cent) saying they would leave their current position if their employer were found to be guilty of greenwashing. Lakin said: “To attract skilled employees of all ages and retain the best talent across the board, investing in improving their employee sustainability proposition needs to be a top priority for businesses. “As an example, employers can weave the company’s wider ESG mission into the job descriptions for all advertised roles, not just ‘green jobs’ – giving people in all areas of the businesses a chance to be involved and demonstrate their commitment to the environment.” The news follows previous research by OnePoll, which found half (48 per cent) of firms were not measuring the impact of their ESG plans, despite this being supported by business leaders. Employees said they also felt “cut out” of ESG reporting processes, with 56 per cent saying they did not have access to dashboards to understand how their organisations were performing against business targets. Only a third (36 per cent) of respondents felt that their company’s environmental targets had been turned into “actionable plans”, despite these being a “top priority” for 70 per cent of employees. More on this Topic. Tribunal tells retail chain to introduce new EDI training, particularly for ‘complacent’ managers, after it discriminated against a man with cerebral palsy. Business leaders give strong backing to ESG – but half of firms are not measuring its impact, research finds. Revealed: all the winners of the CIPD People Management Awards. Three quarters of professionals have an unhealthy relationship with work, study finds. Revamp apprenticeship levy, reform sick pay and boost paternity rights – key takeaways from the CIPD's Manifesto for Good Work.