A new generation of committed leaders

A new generation of committed leaders

The new leaders are looking to the general interest.

The expectations of the younger generations have changed profoundly.

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According to a 2019 Bloomin study, 59% of 18-35 year olds consider it essential to carry out an activity in which they feel useful to society. 79% of millennials place the company's CSR policy among the selection criteria when recruiting. For 76% of them, this criterion is even more important than salary! If businesses want to win the talent war, they have no choice but to adapt to these new expectations.

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The regulatory framework takes note of the new role of businesses

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In the follow-up to the Notat—Sénard report entitled: The enterprise, an object of collective interest, the PACTE law changed the definition of an enterprise. They can now include their societal mission in their statute. Note, for example, the initiative of Danone, which is working to obtain the B-corp label awarded to companies “that do not seek to be the best in the world, but to be the best for the world.” But that only makes sense if leaders embody this social mission. Businesses are therefore led to choose leaders who deliver results, but who are also committed to social causes. Ambitious young managers have understood this well and are careful to fill in the “volunteer” box on their LinkedIn profile.

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A new generation of committed leaders

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Young talent is questioning the model of big companies. They have distinguished themselves several times, for example at the 2022 AgroParisTech engineering school graduation ceremony, where young graduates call on future engineers to “desert destructive jobs”. Rather than CAC40 companies, many of them prefer to join social and solidarity economy (ESS) start-ups.

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The emergence of social entrepreneurs

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In 1966, the “Photo of the Century” brought together 47 celebrities from the Baby Boom generation, embodying the popular music revolution. In 2020, the “New Photo of the Century” brings together 47 young people from Generation Y: 47 faces of ongoing revolutions, 47 creators of movements and solutions, photographed by Yann-Arthus Bertrand.

This “new photo of the century” symbolizes several ongoing revolutions ranging from the fight against global warming to anti-racism, access to schooling or even social justice. We thus find diverse personalities such as Maxime de Rostolan, the founder of Fermes d'Avenir, an association that aims to accelerate the agro-ecological transition by drawing inspiration in particular from permaculture.
At her side, Eva Sadoun, co-founder of fintech LITA.co, the first corporate crowdfunding platform dedicated to positive impact. We also find Marie Toussaint, the initiator of Notre Affaire à Tous, which led to the Affair of the Century, the most signed petition in France that aims to denounce the state's climate inaction.
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As they themselves say: “We are between 20 and 40 years old and, without knowing each other, we agree on fundamental principles. We want to stand together in the face of injustice, inequality and climate change.”

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Social entrepreneurs, a new model

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These 47 personalities are representatives of a vast movement that is extraordinarily dynamic and refreshing. They serve as a source of inspiration for a new generation that no longer recognizes itself in established careers and favors action on the ground.