Ethical and sustainable career choices

Making an ethical career choice is very much grounded in your personal values. Your perceptions of an ethical career or ethical employer may be different from somone else which makes this a difficult topic. There is no one right or wrong path (depending on your view point)!

If you mention ethical careers people will often talk about sustainability, green or environmental careers. But again these are different concepts, all or none of which may contibute towards your ethical choice.

Understand your personal values

  • What is important to you?
  • Your values may change over time as your personal circumstances evolve, and thats ok.
  • You may not understand or agree with other peoples choices or values. How do you handle this?
  • Ethics is complicated, you could work for an organisation some people may perceive not to be ethical, but in a role where you are working towards change within the business.

Which careers meet your values

If you look up ethical jobs these may come up; environmental careers, CSR (corporate social responsibility) roles, ethical investments, policy and lobbying jobs, social justice, not for profits, education. There are far more options out there and it can be quite nuanced.

For example:

Is working for an energy company on providing affordable green travel options for employees to get to work, better or worse than doing the same for a distribution warehouse or a University?

  • Which will have most impact?
  • What is the impact on? People, planet?
  • Who benefits?
  • What matters most to you?

Explore careers and jobs

Which employers meet your values

Further reading