Gen Z-Driven Inclusion as a Driver for DEI&B Advancement (Part 1)

Dentsu Inc. has launched " REVERSE CONSULTING for SUSTAINABILITY," a service that advances corporate sustainability in collaboration with Generation Z, known as sustainability natives. Yuta Matsuzaki, co-representative of Dentsu Digital Inc.'s " YNGpot.™" involved in this service, Masamune Nagata, who serves as a consultant, and Rie Tanaka of Dentsu Inc.'s Sustainability Consulting Office, discuss and interpret the "B" (Belonging) in DEI&B (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging), a topic gaining attention in HR and management fields, from a Generation Z perspective.

A culture that leverages Gen Z's "likes" becomes a driver for sustainability advancement

Tanaka: Dentsu Digital Inc.'s "YNGpot.™" is unique because it includes digital native members who approach the entire process—from initial insight research and final impact verification to planning and development—entirely from a Gen Z perspective. Applying this to sustainability business directly connects to "REVERSE CONSULTING for SUSTAINABILITY." I'd love to hear about the insights you've gained through your work so far. First, could you tell us about YNGpot™'s activities?

Matsuzaki: As a premise, YNGpot.™ values the concept of the digital native generation more than the Gen Z categorization. People's behavioral patterns and values have changed significantly alongside the volume of information. Consequently, differences in behavior and values exist between the pre-digital and post-digital generations. Therefore, we focus on "how they engage with digital" rather than generational theory like Gen Z.

Tanaka: What are the key characteristics of business consulting conducted from the perspective of the digital native generation?

Matsuzaki: It may seem obvious, but the services and products digital native generations seek to resolve their frustrations and dissatisfactions are often digitally-centric. Companies must continuously develop new businesses and services that meet these needs. However, we must not forget that they are a generation that can connect with many people's lives through digital technology. They are also a generation that cannot turn a blind eye to others' misfortune for their own satisfaction. Therefore, when designing services, while the satisfaction of the digital native generation itself is important, we place great importance on developing digital services and advancing projects from the perspective of "how can we balance this with the happiness of others around them and the happiness of the society led by the next generation?"

Tanaka: "Wanting to create opportunities for others' happiness starting from what I love" is a mindset we often hear when interviewing Generation Z. When they say things like, "I started because I liked it, rather than for the sake of the global environment," it really captures the essence of Generation Z changemakers (those tackling social change and solving societal issues). Previously, when we held a webinar with Mr. Matsuzaki, a university student who spoke on stage also said, "First, do what you want to do, what excites you," which was very memorable.

Matsuzaki: Ultimately, advancing a business is about "people." While it's crucial for the team to work hard to satisfy customers, I believe the sequence of enjoying creating something we genuinely want ourselves or something we truly believe will benefit someone close to a team member, and then involving customers in that, better leverages the strengths of the digital native generation.

To achieve this, it's crucial that both client companies and their own members respect each individual on the project team as a person, not just as "labor." In an era where everyone has some aspect of being a minority, it's desirable to create a team environment where anyone can take leadership and diverse perspectives contribute. Furthermore, incorporating a sustainable viewpoint and maintaining a flexible attitude to adapt to societal changes would be even better.

Tanaka: That seems very much related to the recently prominent DEI&B perspective. DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) is from the corporate perspective, while B (Belonging) is from the individual's perspective. Rather than viewing employees solely as corporate resources, recognizing that "work time exists within an individual's life and personal circumstances, and that relationships with colleagues matter" enhances a sense of belonging. This, in turn, fosters a sense of safety within the workplace, increases initiative, and ultimately boosts creativity and productivity.

Thinking this way, both DX and sustainability—as Mr . Hisashi mentioned in the first session —ultimately seem to lead back to reframing the focus from the company to the individual. Could you share your thoughts on consulting in the sustainability domain?

Matsuzaki: Whether it's DX or sustainability promotion, I see both as corporate transformation. Success hinges entirely on whether the people on the front lines—the project leaders and employees—truly want to implement it. Unless everyone—from executives, project leaders, to frontline staff—shares a genuine sense of commitment and a common vision of the desired future state, DX and sustainability initiatives risk becoming ends in themselves. That's precisely why I see tremendous potential in the digital native generation, especially Gen Z. They accept digital and sustainability as natural elements and are a generation capable of viewing issues from diverse angles.

How to foster employee belonging in offices that have become third places due to remote work proliferation

Tanaka: Nagata-san, you're Gen Z yourself. What do you think is crucial for achieving the "inclusion that involves not just Gen Z, but other generations too," as Matsuzaki-san mentioned?

Nagata: I've personally experienced what was mentioned earlier about "starting from what you love and creating opportunities for others' happiness." At Dentsu Digital Inc., for example, something I did as a hobby was recognized by the company and became part of our internal culture, serving as a catalyst for interaction among people of various ages and job roles.

Tanaka: Could you share a specific example of what you did?

Nagata: Dentsu Digital Inc. has had a "Circle System" since fiscal year 2018. It's a community where people deepen connections through shared interests like sports or music. Within this, I established and now lead the Coffee Circle. Initially, we'd go to cafes for tasting sessions or host events with professional baristas visiting the office. Now, circle members take turns serving coffee at the counter as baristas. Collaborating with HR, it's become an official company event where employees from different departments and age groups gather to enjoy coffee, breaking down those barriers.

Tanaka: I recently had the chance to join Dentsu Digital Inc.'s sign language circle. It included several people from outside the company, with a wide range of ages, and I experienced a very open and enriching space. So you have a coffee circle too? I'm envious that you can enjoy freshly brewed, delicious coffee every month right at work. With bottom-up initiatives like this, there's often a risk that only a select few get excited, or that it becomes a gathering of "regulars" where others feel hesitant to join. How do you manage that?

Nagata: On average, about 130 people come to drink at each event, but it's not always the same people; many are meeting for the first time. We ensure diversity among the baristas, so there are people older and younger than me, and they come from different departments too. Even if acquaintances gather, the people sitting next to each other at the counter vary in age and department. Sometimes the baristas act as coordinators, introducing people sitting next to each other. The waiting time while coffee brews might also be a good opportunity to connect. When orders pile up, I sometimes say, "Why not chat while you wait a bit longer!" and people accept it without any problem. That time might seem like wasted time at first glance, but I think it's crucial for building a sustainable organization.

Tanaka: I get the impression that companies, especially digital-focused firms emphasizing efficiency and quantitative KPIs, are increasingly proactive about creating new cultures for networking or building digital detox time through internal events. Research shows that teams fostering a sense of connection, not just efficient division of labor, have higher psychological safety and better work performance.

Matsuzaki: That's true. However, if it becomes "We have to make employees get along, so let's assign someone to organize parties and events for that purpose," the means become the end, and I think that often leads to failure. When you make socializing a mandatory task, the organizers get burned out. Especially with Gen Z, they're more receptive to an atmosphere where it's not "I sacrifice myself to make everyone else happy," but rather "I do what I enjoy and feel satisfied. If that makes others happy too, great." Communities aren't something you build; they emerge as a result. So, isn't the most important thing not to confuse the means with the end?

Tanaka: That's the tricky part. We want people to act spontaneously and freely on the ground, but to get many people participating, we also need company approval allowing it during work hours. How did you proceed with company support for the coffee event?

Nagata: First, we got permission to use "the most prominent, central spot in the office." They also promoted it as an official company event and covered expenses like coffee beans. Plus, it's huge that the president comes to drink with us. Rather than drawing a line and saying "the young staff are just doing this on their own," he actively participates. Dentsu Digital Inc.'s office won the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award at the 2022 Nikkei New Office Awards. It has a casual, conversation-friendly "lounge" concept, so the culture of everyone drinking coffee together probably fits well with the spatial design.

Tanaka: Don't people say, "We're too busy with work to be making coffee"?

Nagata: I schedule the barista shifts. As long as I don't force busy people onto shifts when they're swamped, it works out fine.

Tanaka: You mentioned older employees are in the circle. I imagine there are cases where you assign shifts to senior colleagues. Was there any resistance to that?

Nagata: Honestly, I never really thought about it. In our day-to-day work, I don't think anyone pays attention to age differences either.

Matsuzaki: Of course, it varies by company, but in a way, offices are becoming third places these days. For example, if you consider home the first place, the workplace used to be the second place. With remote work making it possible to work anywhere, tasks can increasingly be completed online. Certainly, some tasks require face-to-face interaction. But beyond those cases, when you think about why you'd deliberately go to the physical office, I believe the motivation increasingly stems from seeking those third-place elements: a change of scenery in the work environment, discoveries born from casual, aimless conversations, or chance encounters with someone at the workplace. As a result, the feeling of going to the workplace is becoming closer to the feeling of going to a coworking space or cafe, isn't it?

Tanaka: Amidst the focus on best practices for addressing departmental silos, the coffee events planned and promoted by Gen Z's Nagata-san offer a tangible experience of the culture Dentsu Digital Inc. values. Both those brewing the coffee and those drinking it feel refreshed, and it creates opportunities to talk with colleagues they haven't interacted with before. It's a prime example of successfully balancing contribution to the company with self-expression, while also fostering inclusion.

When companies provide opportunities for employees to express themselves through their passions and strengths, it enhances their sense of belonging. This, in turn, boosts individual performance, fosters new internal relationships, and ultimately, the quality of these relationships contributes to long-term business results. Cultivating a DEI&B culture that starts with Gen Z and engages other generations is precisely the driving force for business transformation and growth that achieves sustainability. It is the core domain of "REVERSE CONSULTING for SUSTAINABILITY." A company's organizational culture can change dramatically just by shifting mindsets. I was reminded that this approach offers high cost-effectiveness leverage, with the younger Gen Z serving as key drivers.

Both DX and sustainability initiatives ultimately depend on whether the frontline genuinely wants to implement them. When Generation Z's motivation—"to create opportunities for others' happiness starting from what I love"—is officially supported by the company, it could also inspire other generations.

This time, we introduced examples within Dentsu Digital Inc. where Gen Z employees are driving initiatives that foster multi-generational inclusion. In the second part, we'll discuss cases where Gen Z perspectives resonated strongly in advancing sustainability efforts at client companies.