RE VIE WS
FURTHER READING…
HOW TO ALIGN YOUR NEED FOR PURPOSE WITH YOUR CAREER Marilyn Waite has worked across four continents on low carbon energy, climate modelling, and investment, and is the author of Sustainability at Work: Careers That Make a Difference. She currently leads the Climate Finance Fund and teaches ESG Strategies at Sciences Po and other universities across the globe.
If a commitment to social and environmental sustainability is something you want from your employer, you’re not alone. Finding purpose in your work is more than just a trend and not restricted to certain generations in the workplace. Many organisations are waking up to the fact that if they want to attract the right talent and investment, linking their purpose to sustainability development goals (SDGs) such as the 17 created by the United Nations is a must.
The first question is what are the company’s sustainability goals? Internal sustainability objectives should ideally align with some or all of the U.N. SDGs and can range from discontinuing the use of single-use plastic to updating hiring practices to become more diverse and inclusive.
Having a career in sustainability is not just about working in a green-labeled job or the environmental sector. Regardless of the industry you work in, there are many ways you can impact sustainability in your role or seek a position with
Additional questions can leverage the SURF Framework, which encompasses the Supply chain, Users, Relationships, and Future generations. Questions can thus probe the social and environmental practices within a company’s supply chain; ascertain how end-users are equipped to engage with
THE SEARCH
GOOD WORK:
FINDING MEANINGFUL WORK IN A POST-CAREER WORLD by Bruce Feiler Pengion Press (2023) Feiler introduces the six questions to ask in times of change - Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How - that allow us to perform a meaning audit, tapping into our truest selves and our deepest hopes to create the meaning we crave. This book shows that the answers involve not following another supposed expert, but giving yourself to yourself, learning to dial into your own inner voice and turning the volume all the way up.
40
this in mind. There are many questions you can ask your company; here are a few to get you started.
www.platinummediagroup.co.uk
HOW TO BUILD A CAREER THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD by Shannon Houde Kogan Page (2021) Whether you want to battle climate change, promote diversity and inclusion, work in sustainability - or if you’re not sure, but just want to leave things a little better at the end of every work day - let this book support you in turning that passion into action. Written by corporate responsibility consultant and certified coach Shannon Houde, this book is part career guide and part job search help - and all purpose-driven. From understanding what the ‘purpose economy’ is and how you fit into it, to what jobs to go for and how to land them.