Environmental sustainability
For the first time in this report series, employees were asked about the importance of environmental sustainability when making employment decisions.
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As shown in Figure 31, 58.2% agreed that it was an important factor when deciding to work for an employer, while 14.1% stated that it was not important. A sizeable group answered as neutral (27.7%). By business groups, the highest agreement rate was found in those working in accommodation (65.1%). Larger organisations (50 to 100+ people) showed a 10% higher rating than small organisations (49 employees and fewer).
Figure 31. Environmental concerns
N = 992; 989
View image transcript – Figure 31
The consideration of environmental sustainability as an important factor when making employment decisions differed by age. Those aged 25 to 34 years reported the highest rates of agreement (68.0%), followed by individuals 35 to 44 years (61.4%) and then 45 to 54 years (58.7%). Importance was lower for those aged younger than 25 years (51.0%), followed by individuals 55 to 64 (45.4%) and then those 65 years or older (43.2%). Results did not differ substantially by gender, with 56.9% of men, 59% of women and 57.2% of those of another gender all agreeing on environmental sustainability matters.
Table 15. Environmental sustainability is important to me when considering working for an employer (by age)
| Age (years) | Strongly agree | Agree | Neither agree or disagree | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <25 | 16.50% | 34.50% | 34.20% | 10.10% | 5.10% | 237 |
| 25 to 34 | 21.40% | 46.60% | 18.50% | 9.30% | 4.30% | 281 |
| 35 to 44 | 20.60% | 40.80% | 27.20% | 7.50% | 3.90% | 228 |
| 45 to 54 | 18.20% | 40.50% | 27.30% | 11.60% | 2.50% | 121 |
| 55 to 64 | 12.80% | 32.60% | 37.20% | 15.10% | 2.30% | 86 |
| 65+ | 18.90% | 24.30% | 35.10% | 13.50% | 8.10% | 37 |
Respondents were also asked if they considered that good environmental sustainability practices existed in their workplace. Similar to the question on the importance of environmental sustainability practices, just 56.8% agreed that such practices were good (Figure 31). The highest level of agreement was found in those working in accommodation (71%). Larger organisations (50 to 100+ people) showed a 10% higher rating than smaller organisations (49 employees and fewer).