The Age AWARE™ Audit:

Build Trust to Thrive in the Longevity Economy

Uncover age bias in your organization
Develop age-aware strategies for a competitive edge

Age Awareness Leads to Growth

The Longevity Economy—the economic contributions of people over 50—is booming. The 50+ population in the US holds 80% of household wealth, generates more than 50% of consumer spending, and is the fastest-growing segment of the labor market. Yet most businesses overlook this extraordinary economic and social opportunity.

Consider: only 10% of all marketing dollars are directed at this growing group of about 120 million—35% of the population. At the same time, 4 of 5 of these Americans experience ageism, or age bias, every day, including 2 of 3 who see age discrimination in the workplace.

The unconscious nature of ageism makes it insidiously hard for companies to detect. As gerontologist Tracey Gendron notes, ageism is "everywhere and all but invisible."

This is where the Age AWARE™ Audit comes in. It's a structured diagnostic probe to deeply examine the practices, strategies, and culture of an organization relative to the aging population. It uncovers hidden ageist practices in five key areas: Accessibility/Design, Workplace, Adaptability, Representation, and Engagement. By addressing these factors, you can:

Expand market reach
Build and protect trust with all stakeholders
Drive innovation through multigenerational perspectives
Build an inclusive culture that attracts top talent
Enhance brand loyalty across all ages
Future-proof your business for demographic shifts
Elevate corporate citizenship by reducing societal ageism

From Our Article Featured in the MIT Sloan Management Review

UNCOVER THE AGEISM HIDING IN YOUR ORGANIZATION

by Matthew Lifschultz

"Being age-aware means probing these five interconnected areas to challenge old biases, uncover new opportunities, and affirm the value of older adults as customers, employees, and stakeholders..."

Full article below

Trust is the Foundation of Business

Build Trust with Age Awareness

Companies thrive—or fail—on trust. It’s a critical driver of brand loyalty, employee engagement, and investor confidence. Yet age bias quietly corrodes trust in ways most leaders fail to recognize.

According to the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer, institutions are facing a global "crisis of grievance," losing stakeholder trust by failing to address deeply rooted biases—including age bias, which remains overlooked.

Age awareness isn’t just a social responsibility; it’s an essential dimension of trust-building for modern enterprises.

Trust, Age Bias, and Business Impact

80% of Americans over 50 experience age bias daily (University of Michigan)
Trusted organizations generate 2.5x more shareholder value (BCG Trust Index)
Customers who trust a brand are 88% more likely to buy again (Deloitte TrustID)
Employees in high-trust workplaces are 76% more engaged and 50% more productive (Harvard Business Review)

Age bias is an ethical issue and a business risk.

Age Bias is a Trust Killer—Are You at Risk?

Trust isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a business multiplier. But hidden age bias erodes trust in ways most companies don’t see until it’s too late.

Lost revenue from overlooked consumers
Weakened innovation from talent exclusion
Eroded stakeholder confidence from trust gaps

The Age AWARE™ Audit helps businesses identify and correct these practices—before they impact performance.

Read our White Paper below:

Becoming Age AWARE™: The Five Factors

Accessibility & Design

An age-aware company ensures that its products, services, and spaces — physical and digital — are usable for all ages.

Workplace

An age-aware company fosters an environment that leverages the strengths of all generations, values experience, spurs innovation across age groups, and supports the evolving needs and aspirations of older workers.

Adaptability

An age-aware company evolves its strategies and practices to align with demographic shifts, anticipating and responding to changes in market dynamics and workforce composition.

Representation

An age-aware company portrays the diversity of older adults authentically in all communications, rejecting stereotypes to reflect varied lifestyles, abilities, and contributions.

Engagement

An age-aware company develops meaningful connections with older populations across business operations, recognizing their multifaceted value as consumers, employees, and stakeholders.

ABOUT

Age AWARE™ Consulting

Age AWARE™ Consulting is poised to help organizations uncover hidden ageist practices and tap into the vast potential of the Longevity Economy.

Matthew Lifschultz, Founder & Principal

Thanks for your interest.

I'm one of the few consulting gerontologists in the US specializing in ageism and business strategy. I offer a distinctive POV on leveraging age inclusion for organizational success and social impact.

After a thirty-year career in law, government, politics, and strategic communications, I studied gerontology at the University of Southern California, earning a Master's. (I believe deeply in lifelong learning, and recommend it to everyone.) I then produced and co-edited the book Paths to Leadership in the Senior Living Industry (Springer, 2021), which was ranked "#1 Hot New Release in Geriatrics" on Amazon.

While consulting to organizations seeking to deepen their engagement with the aging population, I identified the need for a systematic framework to help them uncover ageist biases. Synthesizing research, practice, and theory, I developed the Age AWARE™ Audit. Today, I'm focused on bringing the audit to organizations committed to leading in age inclusivity and capitalizing on the growing Longevity Economy.

I have a BA in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania and a JD from Fordham University Law School. I also did extensive graduate work in public finance and policy at NYU's Wagner School of Public Service. I'm an avid reader of books across a wide range of topics, including systems thinking, leadership, design, social psychology, economic history, and cultural anthropology, as well as fiction. Currently, Vaclav Smil is my favorite writer.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-lifschultz-521a93207/

Our Approach

We believe in collaborating with you to meet your organization's unique needs:

Assessment: We'll begin with a deep discussion to understand the scope of your organization's needs and goals related to age inclusivity in the marketplace and the workplace.
Customization: Based on this assessment, we'll collaborate with you to design an audit process that aligns with your objectives and resources.
Execution: We'll work closely with your team to implement the Age AWARE™ Audit, ensuring minimal disruption to your operations while maximizing insights.
Expertise Network: When specialized knowledge is required, we can draw upon our select network of experts for additional insights and support.
Societal Impact: Throughout the process, we foster awareness and drive attitudinal shifts within your organization, contributing to broader societal change in perceptions of aging.

Our flexible approach ensures that the Age AWARE™ Audit delivers maximum value, helping your organization uncover hidden biases and capitalize on age-inclusive opportunities.

Engage With Us

Now in the beta stage of bringing the Age AWARE™ Audit to market, we're eager to discuss how this innovative approach could benefit your organization. Join us in shaping the future of age-aware business practices. Be part of the movement to create a more age-inclusive society while improving your bottom line. Contact us to explore the possibilities.

The Age AWARE™ Audit:

Build Trust to Thrive in the Longevity Economy

Age Awareness Leads to Growth

From Our Article Featured in the MIT Sloan Management Review