April 22, 2011

For some job seekers, every day is Earth Day

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Happy Earth Day -- do you know where your employer stands on environmental sustainability?

In a survey released earlier this month by carpet maker Interface Inc., a majority of respondents said they sure hoped they knew where their company stood on earth friendliness.

In fact, 63 percent of those polled said they would consider a prospective employer's environmental footprint a "vital" piece of information when deciding whether to accept the job. What's more, 71 percent said they'd deliberately seek out an employer that makes environmental sustainability a corporate priority.

Placing value on a potential employer's profit margin didn't rank quite as high among the 504 full-time U.S workers polled in the survey. Only 61 percent said corporate earnings were a key consideration for them when evaluating a new employer.

Even more curious, the survey revealed that women and men do not necessarily place the same weight on working for a green employer. Although 78 percent of women polled said an employer's eco footprint was "important" to them, only 52 percent of their male counterparts shared the opinion.

All well and good, but how does this translate in the real world, where one's values and job don't necessarily mesh?

Remarkably well, the study found. Of those polled, 84 percent said that their employer "shares their views on what is important in life."

How about you? How important is it that the company you work for be earth friendly? Have you gone out of your way to find an employer that aligns with your ideas about corporate responsibility and environmental sustainability?

Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail Michelle at mgoodman@nwjobs.com

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ethics, job hunt, salary

1 Comments

Alison Koop on April 23, 2011 11:19 AM | Reply

I've always sought positions with organizations that offer products or services I believe in wholeheartedly--key to satisfaction in my career as a PR professional. I'm so fortunate these past 14 years to have worked for organizations that not only present "green" education programs but also practice what they teach.

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