Ethical job-hunting in the Creative Industry

Speaking as a recent graduate and part of the Gen Z generation (between 18 and 25), many of us want to use our creative skills to make a positive social impact, however, as the cost-of-living-crisis continues, it's more and more difficult to stick to ethical values.

Photo by cottonbro studio

Source: Paul Polman Report, 2023

According to a recent survey, 2 in 3 UK employees want to work for a company that is having a positive impact on the world, and Paul Polman has suggested we are entering a new era of conscious quitting to better align with intrinsic values.

How important is aligning intrinsic values to job hunting?

Aligning personal values with your career enables you to stay motivated in your role and productive - you are more likely to suffer from creative blocks if you are not excited about the company you are working with. In the componential model of creativity, intrinsic task motivation is one of four components and suggests extrinsic motivators like salary can undermine intrinsic motivation.

Applying for roles that hold similar values also comes across in your interviews because you are more inclined to do more research and start a conversation about the company's future prospects.

Advice

In my experience, many charity or ethic-based companies do not have the budget to train young people unless it is part of an apprenticeship or government-funded, and often expect applicants to already have the experience and skills. So, my advice to anyone starting their ethical job search in 2023 is to think carefully about any industries or companies that would be a deal breaker for you to work in, but at the same time keep your research up-to-date as some companies are starting to develop sustainable ways to supply their services (see examples below).

Shell UK (Energy industry) Continues to invest in renewable energy such as offshore wind, carbon capture utilisation and storage, and electric mobility.

Fosters Events Catering (Catering service) Partnered with zero-waste charities and sources their food locally to provide the smallest footprint. And they have been involved in a few projects that aim to give back to the community during a time of crisis such as the national FOOD4HEROES charity scheme and NHS support.

Starbucks (Retail & Hospitality) Committed to 100% sustainably sourced coffee. And they have recently partnered with local artists and businesses to promote the use of reusable cups.

H&M (Clothing industry) This fashion company has been collaborating with WWF for over ten years to achieve sustainable fashion, and it's only seven years away from using only 100% recycled or sustainably sourced materials.

Another method of job researching is typing B Corp into LinkedIn's search engine and it will come up with several job listings. Companies listed with B Corporate certificates are given to businesses that are fully transparent, and perform highly in social and environmental principles. Currently there are 1,500 UK businesses registered as B Corp, which has increased by 50% since 2022.

In summary, if working for charities or independent companies is your dream career goal, my advice would be to look into temporary jobs that provide opportunities to expand your skillset and then you would be able to have a strong portfolio to stand out from other candidates. At the same time, make sure you look at temporary jobs that can loosely align with your own values in some way, so make sure you research how the company is progressing before you disregard them in your job search.