Angelini Industries presents the research "Version GenZ: the first sustainable native generations speak out"

GENERATION Z IS ENVIRONMENTALIST, ACTIVIST

AND MORE LIKELY TO PURCHASE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTS

Angelini Industries presented a research at the Salone della CSR comparing young people from Generation Z with older people on topics including sustainability, the environment, employment and the future.

The results show that young people seek shared values, flexibility, and development plans in companies; they are more environmentally conscious, activists, and willing to purchase eco-friendly products.

Milan, October, 9^th, 2024 – 53% of young people say they are environmentalists and 43% say they have boycotted a brand or product because they considered it socially inequitable or the company’s actions harmful. This percentage falls to 37% in the general population. 58% of young people believe that a company cannot be equitable and fair when it has internal inequalities: such are some of the most significant figures from “Versione GenZ: le prime generazioni native sostenibili si raccontano” [Version GenZ: the first sustainable native generations tell their story], research that Angelini Industries, an Italian industrial group active in 21 countries with 5,800 employees in the health, industrial technology and consumer goods sectors, promoted on a sample of over 2,500 interviewees, of which 1,600 young people between 14 and 29 years old.

The research presented at the Salone della CSR in Milan, carried out by Quorum/Youtrend and CSA Research, was elaborate with the aim of listening to young people and communicating their needs. The project brought to light Gen Z opinions on topics such as the future, employment and sustainability, comparing them with the prevalent mentality among the rest of the population. Young people are generally more mindful of environmental and social topics and critical towards the previous generations’ way of doing things, but still have trust in the role of institutions: as a matter of fact, 61% of young people believe the cause of the climate crisis and inequality lies in the lifestyle and economic models adopted by previous generations. 78% of Gen Z also believes that governments could play a key role in change (compared to 70% of the rest of the population).

“When making choices, young people especially seek flexibility, clear values and objectives that reflect their own, even when looking for their first job,” said Isabella Falautano, Group Chief Sustainability Officer of Angelini Industries. “They prefer to have more sustainable products in their shopping basket, perhaps even by spending a few more euros, and are more prepared than previous generations for environmental and social activism. Listening to young people and understanding their most profound needs is essential for companies that wish to be a key part of the future. In order to engage with the workers and consumers of tomorrow, businesses must show a concrete commitment to sustainability and inclusion. The relationship with younger generations and a commitment towards sustainability have always been at the centre of the Angelini Industries Group’s activities: its very mission is ‘Taking care’ of the people, families, communities and territories where it operates”.

In 2023, younger generations, and under 30s in particular, accounted for nearly one third (26%) of new hires at Angelini Industries, as shown by the Group’s upcoming sustainability Report.

Work-life balance is not enough: young people want to feel fulfilled and involved. One of the aspects brought to light by the research was the unique relationship between Gen Z and work: many of the young people interviewed, for example, indicated that it was important to feel fulfilled (40% vs 38% in the general population), to have professional and personal growth prospects (19% vs 16%) and to have common goals with the work group and company (15% vs 10%).

In response to the growing demand from Gen Z for clear development plans, Angelini Industries, through Angelini Academy, the Group’s corporate academy, carves out growth pathways dedicated to young people such as the Future Leaders Program, a free European training and professional development project intended to insert new talent into managerial roles, promoted in collaboration with SDA Bocconi.

According to Gen Z, the main features that make a company sustainable include its ability to defend the environment (44% vs 41% in the rest of the sample), to think about the future and the younger generations (30% vs 31%) and to fully respect rules and laws (29% vs 32%). With reference to other features that a sustainable company must have, the research found that young people are more aware than the rest of the population about respect for workers’ rights and well-being shown by businesses (26% vs 24%) and their commitment to defend vulnerable social groups (17% vs 13%).

Young people and the climate crisis: more mindful, aware and informed. Gen Z is more aware and informed about global warming than the rest of the population and believes they can play an active role in adopting measures and lifestyles that could put a stop to the planet’s climate crisis. 63% of young people believe it is likely that the planet will become uninhabitable for human beings over their lifetime. 75% of young people believe they are very or quite informed about the topic, compared to 63% of the general population, and over 90% of them believe the predictions of scientists who identify exceeding 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels to be the critical threshold for a habitable planet. Only 7% of Gen Z are sceptical about this point. This percentage in the general population, on the other hand, rises to 35% according to a survey by Censis in 2023.

For Angelini Industries, sustainability takes place transversally and in an integrated manner across all its operating sectors, beginning with a focus on the environment. One concrete example is the Group’s head office, Casa Angelini, established in Rome decades ago and today an example of an urban regeneration project as a technologically innovative and environmentally sustainable architectural solution, which achieved Platinum LEED Certification in New Construction; or better yet, the Group’s commitment to Zero Waste, through greater use of recycled plastic or refillable packaging for its products and the design of innovative solutions such as Greenpackt, the machine developed by Angelini Technologies - Fameccanica to produce 100% recyclable packaging. Today, the Group relies on various photovoltaic plants installed at its sites, charging points for electric vehicles and a constant strive to define a decarbonisation strategy, starting with the calculation of its Carbon Footprint and the use of LCA (Life Cycle Assessment).

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Angelini Industries is a multinational industrial group founded in Ancona, Italy in 1919 by Francesco Angelini. Today, it is a solid and well-structured industrial business with around 5,800 employees operating in 21 countries worldwide, with revenues of 2.1 billion euros generated in the health, industrial technology and consumer goods sectors. Its growth-oriented investment strategy, constant commitment to research and development, and deep knowledge of markets and business sectors make Angelini Industries an Italian leader in the sectors in which it operates.  The Group is committed to lowering its environmental impact and finding increasingly more cutting-edge solutions from the perspective of circular economy. It adopts the most advanced standards on worker health and safety and the most rigorous processes to ensure maximum quality by checking the entire supply chain: from supplier certification and control of raw materials, from the production process to the finished product and packaging, all the way to spot checks in stores.  For over 100 years, the Angelini family has guided the evolution of Angelini Industries with an entrepreneurial style that is typical of Italian family capitalism. To learn more, visit angeliniindustries.com

Media contacts

Angelini Industries

Alessandra Favilli – Group Chief Communication Officer

alessandra.favilli@angeliniholding.com – press@angeliniindustries.com

SEC Newgate Italy

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Fausta Tagliarini – fausta.tagliarini@secnewgate.it – tel. +39 3476474513

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