76% of young people feel employers need to improve when explaining environmental commitments

With world leaders shortly setting foot in Glasgow to set out their collective environmental commitments at COP26, new research has revealed the impact that climate change is having on young jobseekers.

According to TheTalentPeople, over three-quarters of young people (76%) believe employers could do a better job at explaining their commitments to the environment.

The findings were uncovered in a survey of 1,000 respondents by the company’s GetMyFirstJob.co.uk job site. It shows that concern for the environment is influencing the type of organisation many young Brits want to work for.

A third (33%) said they think that climate change has affected how they search for opportunities. Of these people, more than two-thirds (68%) said they’d like to work for an employer that is doing something positive for the future of our planet. Others said they would prefer not to work for an organisation they believe is causing harm to the climate or the environment.

Approaching half (42%) of young people said they would like employers to tell them more about their green commitments during the job application process itself.

“The ask here is clear,” said David Allison, CEO at GetMyFirstJob. “In this competitive jobs market, entry-level job hunters often have access to a wide range of options and the majority want to know what employers are doing for the good of the planet. Organisations of all types and sizes must seize this opportunity in the battle for their future workforce. Shout about all the positive steps your organisation is taking.”

From an employer’s perspective, Karen Handley, Head of Future Careers at Virgin Media, commented: “To continue attracting top talent it’s vitally important that organisations are connected to what matters to job seekers and customers. Employers that adapt their business strategy to create a lasting positive impact on the communities they serve while accelerating action on climate change will be those best able to successfully attract high potential candidates.”

Jake McClure, Director of Organisational Capability at the Rural Payments Agency, said: “It is fantastic that many prospective candidates have a passion for joining our drive to do better for our planet.

“At the RPA we know our commitment to Net Zero and sustainability, as detailed in our Five-Year Strategy, is an attraction for candidates as it is a source of employee pride. Sustainability connects our organisation’s values to job seekers’ personal values.”

Tricia Wright, Chief People Officer at TfL, said: “We must all take action to be more sustainable wherever possible and to mitigate the impact we all have on the planet so it’s entirely understandable that job hunters, especially those taking their first steps into the world of work, want to know that the company they will work for is acting responsibly.

“We have a vital role to play, from making our organisation and network more inclusive to taking action to reduce harmful pollution in our city. We have proudly published our first-ever Sustainability Report and Corporate Environment Plan this year, which clearly lay out our ambitions to decarbonise transport by 2030 and support a green recovery and better future for the capital. We hope job hunters see what we’re doing and that we are working to lead the way in our industry for more sustainable practices.”