At 24, Sara Tremblay felt she had landed her dream job. As an assistant procurement manager for Xenon Natural Foods, she had the job of sourcing many of the raw food materials that went into the production of various Xenon products. The job involved some travel, which she loved, and the other aspects of the work were challenging and rewarding. Sara had been particularly attracted to the job at Xenon because of the firm’s mission statement declaring that it was fully dedicated to sustainable business practices, environmental protection, and the maintenance of a green supply chain. These features of the Xenon business model had been emphasized by the older managers who had interviewed her for the job.

In the recent company employee attitude survey, Sara had given her job and the company the highest marks. However, shortly thereafter, she discovered that a key (and rare) ingredient that the company sourced for several of its products was actually being cultivated using grossly unsustainable growing practices. On her own initiative, she researched and discovered a highly sustainable alternative produced in the mountains of Peru that cost 8 percent more. Sara’s recommendation to change suppliers was rejected by Xenon executives due to cost considerations. Shortly thereafter, feeling a bit cynical, she accepted a position with another employer.

Is Sara just a naïve idealist, or does the case reveal something more profound about millennials’ expectations for their employers?