Purpose is increasingly central to workplace satisfaction and wellbeing. Nearly nine in 10 Gen Zs (86 per cent) and millennials (89 per cent) say purpose is key to their job satisfaction. This focus on purpose extends to their career decisions: half of Gen Zs (50 per cent) and over four in 10 millennials (43 per cent) have turned down assignments that conflict with their personal ethics or beliefs. Moreover, 44 per cent of Gen Zs and 40 per cent of millennials report rejecting employers for the same reasons.
Among the top concerns driving these decisions are factors like an employer’s environmental impact, lack of inclusivity, and failure to support employees’ mental health and work-life balance. These findings underline the growing importance of sustainability credentials in attracting and retaining talent, particularly among younger generations.
Employers have a powerful opportunity to influence climate action. Protecting the environment is the societal challenge where Gen Zs and millennials see businesses as having the most significant opportunity to drive meaningful change. With six in 10 Gen Zs (62 per cent) and millennials (59 per cent) reporting feeling anxious about climate change within the past month, these concerns are influencing their career decisions.
Approximately half of Gen Zs (54 per cent) and millennials (48 per cent) say they and their colleagues are actively pressuring employers to take meaningful climate action – a trend that continues to rise. Furthermore, 20 per cent of Gen Zs and 19 per cent of millennials have already changed jobs or industries due to environmental concerns, with another quarter planning to do so in the future. Employers that prioritise sustainability and align their practices with these values are better positioned to attract purpose-driven talent.
‘A gas emergency would quickly turn into an electricity emergency. It is low-risk, but high-consequence’
The secret to cooking a delicious, fuss free Christmas turkey? You just need a little help
How LEO Digital for Business is helping to boost small business competitiveness
‘I have to believe that this situation is not forever’: stress mounts in homeless parents and children living in claustrophobic one-room accommodation
Research suggests that younger generations are willing to make financial trade-offs for sustainability. As consumers, about two-thirds of Gen Zs (64 per cent) and millennials (63 per cent) are willing to pay more for environmentally sustainable products or services. Many are also adopting personal lifestyle changes, such as reducing air travel, avoiding fast fashion, eating plant-based diets, or purchasing electric vehicles.
This mindset is increasingly reflected in workplace decisions. Younger generations are prioritising employers whose values align with their own, even if it means compromising on material rewards. As sustainability continues to grow in importance, businesses with strong environmental and social practices will have a clear advantage in attracting and retaining top talent. For Deloitte Ireland we believe that you must walk the walk and not just talk the talk. One way of demonstrating our commitment is by opening our practices and policies to independent verification and accreditation. We did this in 2024 with the assistance of EcoVadis, the globally recognised assessment platform that rates businesses based on four key categories: environmental impact; labour and human rights standards; ethics; and procurement practices. Deloitte Ireland were the first of our competitors to undertake this assessment and in October we scored in the top 7 per cent of all companies on the EcoVadis platform (93rd percentile) obtaining an overall score of 71, and just two points short of gold.
Increasingly we are seeing our clients seeking to respond in a meaningful fashion to meet and exceed the expectations of a sustainability-conscious workforce while achieving meaningful impact, companies need a clear roadmap and targeted expertise. Glenn Gillard, Head of Sustainability, reflecting on the work he delivers for clients, emphasises this, stating: “It’s about understanding the individual impacts of climate change on your business and using that understanding to make the informed decisions that will drive the right actions and responses – to future-proof your business.”
Wherever you are on your sustainability journey our multidisciplinary teams can partner with you to find the right strategy to evaluate your impact, create the right structure, and identify the financial support and reporting capabilities to connect ideas and action. Not only do we apply this holistic approach to our own workforce, but we also partner with our clients to ensure their businesses align with employee values and the broader need for sustainable practices.
Bord Bia, one of our key clients, sought pragmatic advice to support the Irish dairy sector in navigating the new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Deloitte’s sustainability team, led by Aoife Connaughton, helped simplify the complex reporting process by providing practical tools, including a customised playbook for the Double Materiality Assessment.
“What we were able to do for Bord Bia is demystify the reporting process and offer practical, tangible support so that companies could focus their time on making the sustainability improvements required rather than trying to navigate complex reporting requirements,” says Connaughton.
This approach reduced ambiguity, saved significant time for dairy companies, and enhanced consistency in sustainability reporting. By conducting stakeholder engagements and delivering tailored insights, we supported Bord Bia in driving transparency, credibility, and long-term competitiveness for the Irish dairy sector.
Our Sustainability teams are growing, we’re inviting passionate individuals to join us in leading the way toward a better, more sustainable future. If you’re ready to help businesses shape impactful sustainability strategies, take a moment to browse our current open opportunities and apply to join us: Sustainability roles at Deloitte Ireland
The above statistics were sourced from Deloitte’s Gen Z and Millennial survey
