58% of eligible voters in Germany are over 50 years old.
According to the Federal Agency for Civic Education, that was the case in the 2021 German federal election — and the numbers are likely similar today. That gives me pause.
How do we ensure that younger voices are heard, and that politics is not shaped solely for the older segments of our society? Are we truly taking the actions of movements like Last Generation and Fridays for Future on sustainability seriously enough? And what about the long-term financing of our pension system?
On the other hand, we talk about the shortage of skilled workers and the disadvantages this poses for the economy — yet at the same time, we see employees over 50 facing discrimination in the job market. How can that be?
Intergenerational collaboration is more important today than ever. Sustainability and sustainable work must be approached across generations. And building bridges requires concrete tools. That’s exactly what my work is about.
This coming Wednesday, September 17th, from 12:15 to 1:00 p.m., I will be joining Adana Schulz as a guest on the Generations Talk with Yvonne Hägle and Hans-Josef Hinken from the Generations Tandem.
>> I’m looking forward to it. Will you be joining us?
I’m Bernd Scharbert, supporting leaders on sustainability, diversity & inclusion, intercultural leadership, and — more broadly — on creating work with lasting impact. If you’re interested, I’d be happy to connect.
