The survey of more than 2,000 university students aged 18 to 25 aimed to understand UK students’ views on pensions and environmental sustainability. The findings highlight the varying opinions among students on how to tackle climate change. Almost half of the students surveyed (49%) still believe that ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ is the most effective way to make an impact on climate change. More than three-quarters (81%) believe that tackling climate change is equally, or more, important as growing their savings.
When asked where savings and investment could make the biggest positive difference to a sustainable society, 58% of students felt strongly that investing their savings in companies that were already having a positive impact on the environment was more effective than investing in companies that are having a negative impact on the environment with the goal of spurring them to develop ambitious environmental transition plans.
The survey results suggest that university students and future pension savers care deeply about the environment, climate change and sustainability, yet they are unsure how to translate that into their relationship with money and savings.
With regards to education and career choices, overwhelmingly (97%) students believe that sustainability should be a mandatory part of the UK national curriculum. The majority (90%) of students also said that they would consider a company’s contribution to social and environmental issues when applying for a job.
Keith Guthrie, now:pensions’ UK Head of Sustainability, said: “Through our partnership with Debate Mate, we aim to help students build a healthy relationship with money and understand how pension savings impact their future and the environment. It is a privilege to work with young people to shed light on the often-overlooked role pensions play in driving real-world impact.”
Margaret McCabe, Debate Mate’s Group CEO and Founder, said: “At Debate Mate, we know that the young people we work with care deeply about the environment, and they are the generation that will bring about change. The results represent the need to do more to communicate to young people how their money can tackle the problems of today.”
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