Millennials, over 80 million strong, are the largest generation of young people in history. Like every generation that came before, millennials come with their own set of characteristics that make them unique. They demand genuineness and transparency from companies, value social networking, are highly influential and even expect to participate in product development so that companies “do it right.”
While this generation is full of brashness and confidence, many of the principles which define millennials are still aspirational and not yet behavioral. They want to be seen as doing their part, but their behavior is at times suppressed by confusion, uncertainty and price sensitivity. However, because millennials are early adopters and influencers, and do seek ways to make these “aspirational” attitudes actual behaviors, they are an attractive group for many organizations in the sustainable marketplace. In fact, millennials report that their purchase decisions, more so than all older generations, are supported by a conscientious understanding of how their decisions will affect the sustainability of the environment, the world and its people.