Businesses should start putting social and ethical measures in place to ensure future success, according to a new report.
The survey of over 6,000 job hunters, conducted by leading recruiter Reed, found that more than half of respondents prioritise applying to ethical employers, while 82% believe that social responsibility will become an even bigger issue over the next five years.
Results also found that jobseekers are interested in the social stance of companies they consider applying to; with the companies perspective on equal opportunities (44%), environmental policies (16%) and charity work (6%) being important issues for applicants to consider.
Interestingly, while 95% understood what it means to be socially responsible, only 30% understood the meaning of being carbon neutral, suggesting that there is a widespread lack of knowledge surrounding environmental concerns.
Within business, education of employees is vital to making progress. Report findings show the importance of educating employees about small changes they can make around the office that will make a difference to the environment.
However, the report also found that although 83% of companies believe it is important to work with ethical partners, only 35% have their own Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy in place.
Janine Parry, Head of Marketing at Reed commented: “We are fast becoming a socially aware society and it’s no surprise that jobseekers are demanding a more ethical stance from their employers.
“The decision to employ a CSR policy makes good business sense; it gives companies a competitive edge, saves money, and as our research shows, helps to attract top candidates,” she added.
© Crimson Business Ltd. 2007