Social and ecological actions of organizations for their sustainable and enduring development – the perspective of generation Z representatives

Abstract

The aim of the article is to identify Generation Z’s preferences regarding organisational engagement in social and environmental initiatives and to assess their perceived importance. An online survey was conducted among 310 Polish students and graduates of economics-related fields, with responses analysed using descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. The results show that Generation Z prioritises pro-environmental actions, such as waste reduction, recycling programs, eco-friendly products, and investments in sustainable technologies. Social initiatives, including promoting diversity, volunteering, and collaborating with non-governmental organisations, were rated lower. Significant gender differences were observed, with women consistently attributing greater importance to both ecological and social activities, while professional-educational status had a smaller impact. Given that the study sample consisted of Polish students and graduates of economics-related fields, the findings should be interpreted with caution, as their generalizability to the entire Generation Z population and to other cultural or occupational contexts is limited. The findings suggest that organisations seeking to attract and retain Generation Z should integrate ecological, social, and ethical aspects in an authentic manner.