New survey shows majority of British Columbian Gen Zs and young millennials will only work for socially and environmentally responsible companies

Burnaby, April 9, 2024 – A new BCAA survey of British Columbian 18–34-year-olds, shows that most want to work for socially and environmentally responsible companies and in some cases will even take a pay cut to do so.

According to the new survey conducted by BCAA among members of the Angus Reid Forum to learn more about what Gen Zs and young millennials look for in the workforce, 87% say they prefer to work for socially and environmentally responsible companies, and 61% say they will only work for responsible companies.

Sixty-five per cent of 18–34-year-old British Columbians say they’d work even harder for companies that are socially and environmentally responsible, and almost half (49%) go as far as putting values over dollars, saying they will even take a slight pay cut to work for a responsible company. Fortunately, as more organizations commit to being purpose-led and values-driven, that’s not always a compromise that’s necessary to take.

Shawn Pettipas, BCAA’s Director of Corporate Purpose, says BCAA is always hiring and says Gen Zs are often the most purpose-minded candidates. “We’re noticing that many younger British Columbians are redefining what’s important about work. They look beyond a job description and have high expectations about the values and actions of their potential employer.”

Pettipas adds that job seekers are doing their homework. “We hire for a wide variety of roles, and social and environmental responsibility comes up in pretty much every interview. They’ve read our Impact Report, and they ask how they’ll contribute to purpose and make a difference. They want to make sure it’s a fit for their values and as a values-driven organization that’s important to us too.”

BCAA recently published its first Impact Report and scorecard, sharing its progress towards voluntary social and environmental targets, and Pettipas says you’d be surprised how many candidates ask about it. Accountability is important to this generation – it's more than investing in the community. In fact, 62% of those surveyed say they want to work for companies that put corporate purpose at the centre of how they operate.

“Many Gen Zs are challenging companies to do and be better and I believe that bodes well for the future of work as well as how companies run their businesses. It’s certainly a competitive advantage for those who get it right,” says Pettipas.

BCAA is a BC Top Employer, who is recognized for its employee benefits, rewards, career opportunities and highly engaged team. BCAA is also named as one of Canada’s Most AdmiredTM Cultures.

To view BCAA’s Impact Report: www.bcaa.com/purpose

Visit careers available at BCAA: www.bcaa.com/about-us/careers 

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About the Survey

These are the findings of a survey conducted by BCAA from February 12th to February 15th, 2024, among a representative sample of 505 online 18–34-year-old British Columbians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-4.36 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About BCAA

Driven by its purpose to move British Columbians forward, BCAA (British Columbia Automobile Association) provides over 1 in 3 B.C. households with industry leading mobility and protection services including Membership, Insurance, Evo Car Share, and Auto Service. It is one of Canada’s most trusted brands in association with CAA (Canadian Automobile Association) and a long-standing BC Top Employer (Mediacorp). BCAA invests to build stronger, connected communities across BC and holds itself accountable to its purpose by setting goals related to its impact on People, the Planet and Prosperity, and sharing results in its annual Impact Report.  

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