The Stepstone Group study: Three out of four employees would be more likely to apply to sustainable companies

Press release on World Environment Day on 5 June 2023

The Stepstone Group study: Three out of four employees would be more likely to apply to sustainable companies

• More employees look specifically for sustainable employers when changing jobs
• 38 percent would accept less salary
• 65 percent want to know early on in the application process how important sustainability is for potential employers
• Saving energy is currently the most important sustainability issue

Düsseldorf, 01.06.2023. Two-thirds (66 percent) of employees in Germany think it is important that sustainability is a high priority for their employer. This is the result of a study by the recruiting platform The Stepstone Group on the occasion of World Environment Day. For the ongoing study, more than 1,000 people in Germany have been surveyed so far in May 2023 on the importance of sustainability at work and when looking for a job. The recruiting platform had already conducted a study on this topic in 2019 – a comparison with the current results shows that the topic is becoming increasingly important. For about five out of ten respondents (53 percent), sustainability is now a decision criterion when it comes to loyalty to the employer. For example, four out of ten (40 percent) would consider dismissal if the employer were to get involved in a very environmentally harmful project. Likewise, 40 percent of those surveyed would consider changing jobs if their employer violated basic sustainability criteria such as the Environmental Protection or Supply Chain Act.

New job? Preferably with a sustainable company
Sustainability is also playing an increasingly important role when looking for a job: Six out of ten respondents (58 percent) said they would specifically look for jobs at sustainable companies in the event of a job change – more than 10 percent more than in 2019 (47 percent). Three out of four (75 percent) would also be more likely to apply there. More than one in three (38 percent) would be willing to accept a salary below the market average from a sustainable employer. "We have been observing the increasing awareness of values among job seekers for some time. What is new is the shift in power in the labour market, which enables them to live it. People are no longer just asking about salary, promotion opportunities or job security, but also: How can I positively shape the future in this job? How does my company contribute to a more sustainable economy? - Employers should answer this question early in the application process," says Dr Tobias Zimmermann, labour market expert at The Stepstone Group.

Saving energy and avoiding plastic: What employees find important
Eight out of ten respondents (80 percent) consider their employer to have a responsibility to act in a climate-friendly manner. But what measures are used to perceive companies as particularly sustainable? The most important initiative from the respondents' point of view: energy saving. The topic of recycling is in second place - so the motto of this year's World Environment Day – ‘#BeatPlasticPollution’ - is also highly topical from the perspective of employees. Other important measures: workplace health promotion, environmentally friendly products and services as well as fair production conditions, an environmentally friendly vehicle fleet and business trips with environmentally friendly means of transport.

Sustainability measures: Attracting applicants with transparency
The Stepstone study also reveals that, from the respondents' point of view, companies still have some catching up to do when it comes to sustainability communication in the application process. More than two-thirds of the respondents (69 per cent) consider it difficult to find out about the sustainability of companies. The majority (65 percent) would like to receive such information during the application process, e.g. on specific initiatives. "Sustainability is one of the most important topics for the future of the economy and is also becoming increasingly important for employee recruitment and retention," says Dr Tobias Zimmermann.  "Companies that invest in sustainability and make their commitment visible during the application process have a clear competitive advantage in recruiting. In view of the looming great people-shortage, they should definitely use this advantage for themselves."

Note to editors
On The Stepstone Group's recruiting platforms in Germany, Austria and Belgium, companies can draw attention to themselves with their sustainability strategy. The ‘Sustainability Box’ offers companies space in the profile of their job advertisements to focus on climate protection activities or social commitment and thus become even more transparent and attractive for job seekers. More information: https://www.thestepstonegroup.com/de/press/press-releases/the-stepstone-group-ruckt-nachhaltigkeit-von-arbeitgebern-in-den-fokus/

About The Stepstone Group's Sustainability Survey
The job market is changing. More and more employees are recognizing the importance of responsible and environmentally friendly business. What do employees imagine sustainability to be and how can employers do justice to it? These questions were investigated by The Stepstone Group as part of an online survey. More than 1,000 people took part in the ongoing survey in May 2023. Of these, about 25 percent have management responsibility, while about 15 percent  work in recruiting. The results listed are representative of the working population in Germany. More information on the 2019 Sustainability Study: https://www.stepstone.de/e-recruiting/wissen/nachhaltigkeit/

About The Stepstone Group 
The Stepstone Group is a leading digital recruitment platform that connects companies with the right talent and helps people find the right job. The Stepstone Group connects more than 110 million job applications with over 150,000 employers every year. With its integrated platform, the Stepstone Group automates the recruitment process and offers AI-based solutions that cover the entire recruitment process – from sourcing to engaging and hiring. In 2022, The Stepstone Group generated revenue of around €1 billion. The Stepstone Group operates in more than 30 countries - including Stepstone in Germany, Appcast in the USA and Totaljobs in the UK. The company is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany and employs around 4,000 people worldwide.
www.thestepstonegroup.com

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