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www.graduateopportunities.com >> career advice
green jobs & corporate social responsibility
What are ‘green collar jobs’? The popular ‘going green’ catchphrase signifies sweeping change across the mainstream global economy. Widespread social interest in addressing environmental issues, along with responses by government regulators and industry, are creating jobs in a growing ‘green collar sector’. This term refers to employment opportunities loosely related, but not limited, to the climate change, energy and sustainability arenas. Many employers are quickly jumping on board.
Many future jobs and industries will interface peripherally or directly with the green economy. Career roles are diverse and not limited to people with high-level scientific research training or environmental backgrounds. Think of the green collar sector as an ‘umbrella’ that covers many different disciplines. As our growing economic, social, technological and environmental needs become increasingly focused on solving sustainability issues, new employment opportunities for students and graduates are opening across all sectors. There is already a scarcity of experienced, capable people in many green areas and the sector projects strong growth. Evolving key green areas are likely to create demand for graduates in roles such as economists, mathematicians, marketers, public relations experts, legal professionals, scientists, engineers and designers.
As a student or new graduate looking for a career in these areas, you may gain professional training and exposure through hands-on, creative developmental work.
It’s our planet at stake – why not play a role in its livelihood?
GCA and Graduate Opportunities thank Golder Associates for assistance with this article. For more information, visit
www.golder.com.
Corporate social responsibility: a question of ethics A major trigger for companies hiring in ‘green’ areas arises from their implementation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) charters. CSR charters aim to ensure that an organisation is mindful of public interests in its decision making, and considers the ‘triple bottom line’ of people, planet and profit. However, CSR is not just limited to ‘green’ industry.
CSR refers to all aspects of corporate responsibility, community, social, environmental, and workplace governance. CSR practitioners talk about corporate ‘opportunity’ – highlighting the opportunity/risk dimension of responsible business practice. It is increasingly significant for job seekers, with many graduate recruiters tracking and incorporating this influence in their recruitment strategies.
Your turn
A clear understanding of CSR in any workplace will help you think broadly, innovatively and strategically. It’s also worth clearly assessing your own values. Consider which of the following CSR areas you feel strongly about:
Environmental impact – direct or indirect, of an organisation’s operations, products or services.
Community/social impact – of an organisation’s projects, products, services or investments.
Workplace practices – including respectful and equitable treatment of employees in recruitment and selection; diversity and equal opportunity; work/life balance; professional development and progression; ethically managed redundancies.
Marketplace and business conduct – such as responsible behaviour in developing, purchasing, selling and marketing of products and services.
Environmental Jobs Network:
www.environmentaljobs.com.au Australian SAM Sustainability Index:
www.aussi.net.au
The HUB of Responsible Business Practice:
http://thehub.ethics.org.au
Ethical governance – from board level down, characterised by transparency; risk reporting; effective codes of conduct and compliance measures.
Will the level of care an organisation takes with the environment, employees, community, and the future influence your decision to work for them?
This article contains edited excerpts from a piece by Rosemary Sainty, Head, Secretariat, Global Compact Network Australia, that appears on the Graduate Careers Australia website.
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