Millennials and sustainability, two things that go well together just like bread and…vegan butter?

There is no shortage of studies showing that, given the choice, Millennials are more inclined to spend more of their hard-earned money on companies that have embraced sustainable development goals, rather than purely focusing on increasing their shareholders’ value. Similarly, sustainable companies are also more appealing as employers and hear this, young folks might be also willing to settle for a smaller paycheck to work for one of these companies.

Is this just marketing?

I mean, sustainability has been a topic for quite some time, and to be frank the results were not exactly there. But the wind might be changing, this time we might not be in another bubble. Something is brewing, clean-tech is experiencing a renaissance as well

Attracting customers and finding the right talent in a market that will be more and more sensitive to sustainability topics might turn to be challenging as time goes by.

But why are these generations so much more focused on sustainability? Is this the Greta Thunberg effect? Could be. Some people find her inspirational and some say she has done nothing concrete. I find myself on the first group as activism is about changing mindsets, in the end, this what makes a difference. Furthermore, a study on her impact on the public shows that Greta’s calls for climate action could motivate the public and politicians to act.

Leaving Greta aside for a moment, multiple outlets such as The Guardian have brought attention to the topic.

Now, the question for you is: How can you benefit from this movement? If you run a boutique hotel or rent out your vacation home, you can embrace the sustainable development goals as a guiding light to make your place more eco-friendly. You don’t have to do it all at once, in the end renovating your apartment fully might not be the most sustainable option, look into what should stay and what could be upgraded, what makes the most positive impact on your footprint (and for your wallet). It is reminding your guests to take a shorter shower or maybe installing a timer to reduce the shower time. If you don’t know where to start, asking your customers could also be an idea.

Little things pile up and become big things.

As a side note, after almost 4 months of this newsletter, I will be taking a moment to rethink this concept, stay tuned for more updates!