Young workers in Western nations are leaving their jobs at increasing levels over a desire to work for companies they believe are committed to fighting climate change.
The phenomenon of “climate quitting” occurs as multiple surveys indicate that professionals in younger cohorts prefer their employers to take active stands on social and political issues. Some 46% of workers and students in the United Kingdom want their employers to demonstrate a devotion to the environmental, social, and corporate governance movement, also known as ESG, according to a poll from the accounting firm KPMG.
Roughly one in five respondents had refused a job offer when the company’s approach to ESG was not aligned with their values; one in three employees between 18 and 24 said the same. Some 64% of office workers said there are certain sectors in which they will not work due to ethical reasons, while 82% of respondents placed “some importance” on the possibility of linking their values and purpose to their employer.