After the debut of the POC Young Green Leaders at the Products of Change Conference 2024, POC is continuing to foster this growing community as interest and momentum for this group has grown.

The purpose of the group is to drive connection, education, and motivation, by connecting likeminded young professionals and supporting them to drive sustainability within their career.

The first meeting is to be held 3-4pm on 27th February, where young professionals from across numerous companies, categories and departments will gather virtually for a sustainability 101 workshop and discussion from POC founder and CEO, Helena Mansell-Stopher, followed by a networking session to introduce the group, the members to one another, and to begin to build the understanding of everyone’s roles and motivations. It is free to attend and open both to POC Members and non-members.

The initial open invite to the conference for young professionals came about as POC wanted to ensure the younger professional generation are also around the table when it comes to discussions and conferences that address the future of everyone’s lives.

A study by the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) at Cardiff University and the University of Bath, found that, while there were more balanced knowledge and awareness of climate change across the generations in the UK, it is the younger demographics (millennial and Gen Z) that worry more about climate change and have the strongest emotional engagement with the issue.

Lead author of the study, Professor Wouter Poortinga of Cardiff University, said, “While there is widespread awareness of climate change across all generations, younger generations feel much more threatened by it and have stronger emotional reactions. That is not completely surprising, given that younger generations will feel the brunt of the impacts of climate change, more so than older generations.”

Some young professionals that are part of this POC led group may be in the sustainability team at their company, already championing this narrative in their role, however others may have other titles, but care about it no less, and want to explore ways they can advocate for sustainable action within their roles and their companies.

Connecting young professionals of this mindset with one another will offer them support, knowledge sharing, network building, and motivation on this pathway, and help them keep abreast of all the latest industry and legislative updates that will affect the future of their business.

If you are a young professional with a penchant for sustainability and would like to get involved in the group and attend the meetings, or even are a company or individual that would like to present to the group, please get in touch with kathryn@productsofchange.com.

The first meeting (virtual) is now live to register for on the POC events page (free to attend and open to POC and non-POC members) here.