"We surveyed 4,000 employees in the US and UK and the results should make everyone at board level sit up and take notice." - Paul Polman (ex-CEO of Unilever)

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What is "climate quitting"?

Climate quitting is a growing phenomenon in the world of work, where employees voluntarily quit their jobs for the climate. In other words, you quit your job because you believe that the company you work for is destroying the environment and the climate or is not doing enough to protect the climate. Employees take action and take a clear stand. The term also refers to job seekers who exclude certain companies or industries because of their climate impact.

The passion and determination that make up "climate quitting" represent an interesting opportunity for companies that want to pay attention to the priorities of the workforce.

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The statistics at a glance

Various research by Paul Polman, KPMG, Yale University and Deloitte all indicate that climate protection is a key concern for employees and that "climate quitting" is on the rise.

• 35% of adults in the US and UK say they have left a job because the company's values do not match their own. Among Gen Z, the figure is as high as 49%.
• 51% of business students would accept a reduced salary to work for an environmentally conscious company

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Looking to the future: Millennials and Gen Z

The research highlights that climate quitting is particularly prevalent among younger generations. The Deloitte study, for example, found that the environment was the biggest ethical factor for employees.

Millennials are the generation born between 1981 and 1996 and Generation Z describes people born in 1997 and later. Because they have grown up with the threat of the climate crisis and an uncertain future, they have correspondingly different priorities when choosing work compared to older generations.

By 2025, millennials will make up 75% of the working population and climate concerns will become increasingly important. To attract and retain new talent, companies must take effective measures to ensure that their work is compatible with a climate-friendly future. "Climate Quitting" therefore offers an indispensable insight into the new priorities of the future workforce - an insight that companies should take seriously.

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How companies can benefit from the new climate awareness

While these statistics may seem alarming, they also represent an opportunity: telling us exactly what employees want, and where employers are falling short.

Employee satisfaction leads to improved productivity and ultimately to greater sales. Clear environmental positioning is motivating and can bring a team together and increase loyalty to a company. In addition, the passion and integrity that employees demonstrate in climate quitting are undoubtedly relevant characteristics on the job.

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"Trust me, if people are willing to quit their jobs because of their values and are convinced that companies can be profitable and do good for society and the environment at the same time - then you don't want to lose that person." - Paul Polman

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To avoid quitting for the climate, all companies should give high priority to their sustainability strategy. Communication with employees, transparency of the measures taken and openness to criticism and feedback are very important to ensure that the strategy is not perceived as greenwashing. This can not only protect the climate, but also the corporate culture, productivity and future workforce. This means that companies that take a proactive role are rewarded with talented employees and achieve a particularly high level of employer attractiveness.

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Advancing your company's sustainability strategy

The development of a responsible climate strategy for companies comprises two key elements:

• The reduction of your own CO₂ footprint
• The effective investment in global or regional climate protection projects

There are many important criteria when selecting suitable projects for the latter point. Of course, these should not only have a positive impact on the climate, but should also be certified and be able to prove their positive effects. Furthermore, it does not always have to be just about CO₂ emissions; there are numerous other climate protection measures that promote biodiversity and support local communities, for example.

One promising solution is regenerative agriculture. This agricultural approach improves soil fertility and supports biodiversity in our fields. Regenerative agriculture also increases the storage of carbon in the soil, which means it can be used as an effective means of combating climate change. This makes investing in carbon credits from regenerative agriculture particularly attractive for companies, as they can demonstrate their commitment to a sustainable future and thus prevent climate quitting in their own company.

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Find out more about climate projects in regenerative agriculture and how your company can support them.

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