Businesses with a commitment to employee diversity, equal opportunities and minimising environmental impacts is a key factor for more than half of jobseekers, new research reveals.
In a survey by Reed Employment, 57% of those looking for a new job said having an ethically and socially responsible employer was important. More than a tenth went so far to say that a defined corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy was the most important factor in selecting a company to work for.
The report suggested that having a corporate conscience is likely to become more of a draw card in the future as 82% of jobseekers predicted that CSR will increase in importance during the next five years.
Equal opportunities was the most common social issue on employees' minds with 44% putting it top of their agenda. Workforce diversity was key for 26% of respondents, while 16% said they were looking for environmental policies from their new boss.
Reed's Janine Parry said: "We are fast becoming a socially aware society and it's no surprise that jobseekers are demanding a more ethical stance from their employers.
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