Are You A Member Of Generation S?

In a recent article, my friend and colleague Georg Kell, Founder of the United Nations Global Compact, introduced the idea of “Generation S.” He defines it as a set of people who understand the power of sustainability to create positive change, who are conscious that the decisions they make and the actions they take today affect the quality of life for our children, grandchildren, and all future generations. In the article, Georg writes that Generation S is made up of people from all walks of life, who speak many different languages, and have varied backgrounds. At the end of his article, he asks his readers the question, “Are you in?”

In the week of the most important gathering of world leaders in many years – potentially ever – on how we can protect our planet from worsening climate change and facilitate a shift to a low carbon future, I think we could all ask ourselves the question of whether we are part of Generation S.  It is a generation that cares about the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues that are increasingly important to the survival of our society. And thanks to the work of the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) it will now be possible to measure and report on these issues. Investors and other stakeholders will be able to assess the performance of companies on ESG issues material to their industry and make their Generation S purchasing decisions accordingly.

The idea behind Generation S is both important and thought provoking. It is an innovative framing not only of how we think about and define generations, but how we must increasingly integrate sustainability into our lives, from the way we do business to our everyday actions.

We are now used to giving names to generations, starting with Generation X (Gen X), which refers to the Post-World War II baby boomers born in the early 1960s to early 1980s. They were succeeded by Generation Y, also known as the Millennials, born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s. We are now even into Generation Z, the newest and least defined generation in terms of birthdate cohort but generally considered to be those born within the past 10 years or so.

Generation S is different, however. It is, admittedly somewhat oxymoronically, a non-age specific generation. It is one defined by a common mindset based on an understanding that the world’s resources are finite and thus a new approach is required to protect “tomorrow” for future humanity. These values can be demonstrated in any number of ways, in particular through the purchasing and lifestyle decisions we make. The food we eat, the clothes we buy, the vacations we take, the way we heat our homes, travel to work, and invest our money.

“Sustainability” is a world I inhabit through my work. But am I a perfect, fully-fledged, signed-up member of Generation S who sets an example through each action I take? Well, no.  Let me explain.