Phone rings last thursday, it’s my friend Robert from Brooklyn Bridge.. a sustainable investment organization based here in Amsterdam that I’ve been working with. Not too long ago, I remember Robert had posted an opening on his blog, the organization is looking for a conference organizer to help with their annual sustainable investment conference in Paris. (Im going this year)
What is interesting, and I felt the need to share with you – the internets – is the trouble Robert is having. Despite the fact that the Netherlands is experiencing a job-boom, and that more and more people around the world are concerned about and dedicated to the goals and ideals of trying to make corporations behave more responsibly, he doesn’t find any such person who wants the job. To put it another way, no candidate has come forward that actually is passionate about the idea of sustainable investment.
So then the question comes to mind: is the current generation of people coming out of university seeking the type of work that not only will provide them with a good quality of life but also that has a larger global objective.. to improve the world in some way. Or rather, is it just about getting the cool job, some money, and buying the stuff they always wanted. Is it a quest for stuff or a quest for change?
After getting Robert’s call asking me about this issue, and then reading his related blog entry, I continue to wonder. Then again, as the video in his post points out, there is an unbelievable huge number of organizations, companies, and groups around the world dedicated to social justice, environmentalism, etc. Still, sometimes I get into conversations with university students, or recent grads, and it does seem like something isn’t clicking right. Where are the world changers?