It’s 2024 and the generations are reaching key milestones: the oldest Zs are nearly 30, entering life-altering stages; the eldest Millennials are 45 and heading toward mid-life; Xers are nearly 60 and Boomers are either relaunching careers or retiring. These generational shifts are not only motivating people to rethink their core values, but they are also inspiring them to reconsider how the brands they buy and the companies they work for are engaging with the social issues roiling society today.

In Zeno Group’s global study, The Responsibility Reset: Navigating Societal Issues in a New Era, we reveal that the action – and inaction – brands take on social issues is being watched and judged by the 5 generations in the workplace today, multigenerational customers on the coasts and in rural America, students, mothers and fathers and many other groups. Led by Gen Z, people believe the purpose of brands in society has truly changed – from selling goods and services as their primary goal to contributing to a better, fairer and more just society. In fact, research tells us that we are in a new age of the “emotional brand” meaning people are looking to brands more now to make their lives better. This fact creates new expectations all around, especially at a time when younger generations are feeling more optimistic about their own futures and the role of brands to help them achieve a more fulfilling life. 

For companies to do more than survive in this environment, our research shows they’ll need to make fundamental changes to how they conduct business. It’s not that people don’t think companies should earn a profit. Because they do. People recognize that profit is necessary for organizations to reinvest in society. But crucially, they also believe brands need to equally prioritize human-centric strategies, practices and internal operations that put people first and advance solutions to the societal issues they care about most. Among global consumers:   

• 69% believe that companies and brands have a role to play in addressing social issues  
• 65% want to see more engagement from companies and brands 
• 62% think brands are still struggling with how to effectively engage on social issues 
• 54% say that companies face more risk by ignoring social issues 

A lot is at stake. More than Baby Boomer and Gen X, younger generations – Gen Z and Millennials – believe employee wellbeing should be core to a brand’s social-issues engagement, even when they don’t work for that particular brand. As importantly, younger generations are more likely to consider a brand’s engagement on social issues when deciding whether to: 

• Work for a brand (Gen Z, 48%; Millennials 47%; Gen X, 38%, Baby Boomers, 27%) 
• Recommend a brand (Gen Z, 46%; Millennials 47%; Gen X, 37%, Baby Boomers, 30%) 
• Invest in a brand (Gen Z, 44%; Millennials 44%; Gen X, 33%, Baby Boomers, 28%) 
• Defend a brand (Gen Z, 45%; Millennials 48%; Gen X, 35%, Baby Boomers, 28%) 
• Purchase a brand’s products (Gen Z, 43%; Millennials 46%; Gen X, 37%, Baby Boomers, 32%) 
• Follow a brand on social media (Gen Z, 43%; Millennials 44%; Gen X, 32%, Baby Boomers, 22%) 

Gen Z (51%) are more likely than global consumers and other generations to say “poverty” is one of the most important social issues facing society today. Younger generations, especially Gen Z, are also more likely to say “mental health,” “racial discrimination,” “educational disparities,” “gender inequality,” and “LGBTQ+ rights” are top societal issues today versus older cohorts who feel “economic instability,” “immigration / refugees,” and “political polarization” are more pressing issues. How can companies satisfy the needs of older and younger employees and bridge the generational gap? 

Despite this data, when senior leaders are asked about the most important factors they consider when determining how to engage on social issues, fewer than one in three (30%) list impact on brand reputation. More alarmingly, 75% say they do not have a formal process in place for knowing when to engage, how to engage or on what issues to engage.  

That’s a problem – especially when 63% of people believe the world is heading in the wrong direction. The demand that brands engage on social issues to help steer the world in the right direction, however, is a people-powered call to action. It’s one that brands and those who lead them cannot afford to ignore. In fact, they should embrace it, because when they do, The Responsibility Reset shows that those same people will be there to support them.