Eight out of Ten MZ Generation Want to Work for Companies Excelling in ESG Management

JobKorea Surveyed 1,183 MZ Generation Job Seekers

Lim Young-jin, President of Shinhan Card (second from the left in the front row in the photo), is seen taking a commemorative photo after discussing recent key issues with MZ generation employees on the rooftop garden of Shinhan Card headquarters in June last year. (Photo by Shinhan Card)

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] Eight out of ten MZ generation members (born early 1980s to early 2000s) want to work for companies that practice ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management, according to a survey.

Job platform JobKorea and AlbaMon announced the results on the 21st after surveying 1,183 MZ generation job seekers about their 'preference for employment at ESG management companies.'

Among the survey participants, 61.1% answered that they 'know about ESG management.' Those who answered 'do not know well' accounted for 38.9%. When asked whether they check a company's ESG management status when selecting a desired employer, 51.6% of participants said they 'tend to check.' The main reason for checking was that 'companies practicing ESG management will grow more in the future,' at 41.5%. This was followed by 'the working environment of companies practicing ESG management seems better' (28.9%), 'it aligns with my values that prioritize environmental protection and social issues' (20.7%), and 'working at a company practicing ESG management would increase my loyalty and job satisfaction' (8.5%).

When asked if a company's ESG management status influences the choice of desired employer, 64.6% answered that they 'prefer to join companies practicing ESG management if possible.' 19.5% said they 'prioritize applying to companies practicing ESG management.' This means that about eight out of ten want to work for companies with ESG management. Only 14.6% answered that 'if satisfied with salary and working conditions, whether the company practices ESG management does not matter.'

The methods used to check a company's ESG management status were 'media articles or news' (42.1%), 'company website' (32.5%), and 'company advertisements or marketing activities' (16.7%). The ESG management activities that participants valued most were 'environment' such as carbon reduction and climate crisis prevention (43.4%), followed by 'social' aspects such as labor and human rights (42.5%).

A JobKorea official said, "Now, 'eco-friendly' is an indispensable keyword in MZ generation marketing, and recently it has even influenced the choice of companies they want to work for," adding, "JobKorea also operates a separate recruitment section for excellent environmental companies, which is quite popular among MZ generation job seekers."