When Miles MacInnes was growing up, his dad worked long hours and, dressed in his pinstripe suit, frequently travelled for business to provide for his family.
It was typical of the 1980s ‘yuppie’ movement, an acronym used to reflect a generation of young upwardly mobile professionals famed for their ‘work hard play hard’ approach.
Today, as a dad-of-two himself, Miles has taken a different approach to work – and he’s not alone.
Dad-of-two Miles MacInnes prioritises a work/life balance and sustainability over large profits
A new report reveals how the children of the yuppies have thrown out the mantra that ‘greed is good’ – coined by Michael Douglas’ banker Gordon Gekko in the hit film Wall Street – in favour of the idea that ‘green is good’.
Young professionals are shunning corporate salaries, flash cars and sipping champagne in the City, for running their own business, vegan lunches and sustainable businesses.
A report from Mercedes-Benz Vans shows more than three quarters of children born in the 1980s identify a ‘successful’ business as one that is sustainable, rather than one that prioritises ‘making large profits at whatever cost’.
In addition, 63 per cent said success comes from trying to make the world a better place, not rising to the top of an industry.
Miles, who runs east London wine business Jascots, said: ‘My dad was a businessman in London in the 1980s. He worked long hours with frequent travelling as part of the job.
‘My idea of success is very different to what drove the yuppies in the 1980s. For me, success is about finding harmony between work and family, being driven by purpose, sustainability and making a positive impact on the people you work with.’
The report reveals the yuppies’ children have scaled down their ambitions. More than half of those polled have chosen to be their own boss over working at a large firm, and three quarters prioritise sustainability over large profits.
The new ‘yuppies’ are less like the ‘greed is good’ banker Gordon Gekko, played by Michael Douglas in Wall Street
What’s clear is that this generation, having grown up in the shadow of the yuppie generation, is looking to undo some of the excesses of the 1980s. Over two thirds believe businesses should prioritise reducing their negative impact on the environment – no matter the cost – and 71 per cent would like to see more businesses making sustainable switches.
Miles said: ‘I believe every business has a responsibility to understand its environmental impact, and we’re constantly finding ways to reduce waste and packaging.
‘In the last six years we’ve reduced our carbon emissions by 28 per cent by making changes such as replacing one of our diesel vans with a Mercedes eVito electric van so we can drive around knowing we’re making a positive difference.’
The new generation has also made some more superficial changes which suggest that the materialism of the 1980s is well and truly over.
Flexible working arrangements have seen some turn their backs on fancy suits and sports cars, which the high-flyers of their parents’ generation had become synonymous with.
Instead, nearly one in five said they dress down or wear activewear for work, while 26 per cent own an electric vehicle.
‘I can picture my dad leaving the house every morning in his pinstripe suit, ironed shirt, tie and briefcase, but I rarely wear a suit, so I’m not surprised to hear that people my age are more likely to dress down for work,’ said Miles.
‘At home we’ve also taken steps to live more sustainably. We’ve cut down on eating meat to once a week as a family, we order veg boxes and subscribe to a milkman delivery to reduce waste, reusing the glass bottles wherever possible. I also cycle to and from work whenever I need to go to the office.’
This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk
