Last week, we spoke about how realistic sustainability in the imperfect world we live in means that sometimes we have to take jobs that aren’t the greenest. And we discussed what we could do. Psst, advocate and stand up for our values when possible.
But say, you have the option to look for an ethical and eco-friendly job, like I did. My dream job was being a writer and I can write for companies and brands that are green. While marketing remains a grey area in eco-friendly living, spreading awareness isn’t. Education and entertainment are the way to go bestie, when asking people to make changes to their lifestyles. And in such a case, when you can make a choice that fits right there with your values, what do you look for in an eco-friendly and ethical job?
Now, I don’t speak for everyone, obviously, but here’s what I tend to prioritize when choosing a susty company to partner with.
Things to look for When Finding a Sustainable Company to Work With
Look them up on Zoobop or Good on You
While this doesn’t work for every brand, if you are looking for personal care, body care, home care, or fashion companies, you can look them up on these websites. While they are not perfect, Zoobop does not look at whether the take-back programs of a brand are actually recycling for example, they can be a good starting point. Whether a brand is ethical, vegan, eco-safe, clean, and more are covered by these websites. You can also look for third-party certifications like PETA certified or GOTS.
Personally, I try to avoid working with companies which are using animal products, other than ethically sourced milk and honey.
You can probably find all this information on their impact page, if they have one.
See their content and impact
The content a brand puts out on social media, the values they promote, the ingredients in their products, and how upfront they are about their wage policy all come together to inform us whether a brand is sustainable or not.
While it is not realistic to expect that no brand will ever fool you, you can make yourself aware of greenwashing techniques and try and see if a brand is employing them. For example, if the content on their sustainability page is vague and they make claims without providing proof, it could be a sign of greenwashing.
Similarly, as Shelby Orme points in her videos, if they hold a lot of sales, or push hyper-consumerism they probably aren’t the greenest.
Another sign can be if they push responsibility of their empties on the consumer. For example, a common sign to be on the look out for when looking for cosmetics brands is if their take back programs do not say where the empties are being recycled. Or if a brand says their product is biodegradable or compostable without sharing the conditions under which.
Realistic sustainability says that we reach out and ask for details before judging, of course. But in the second case, it is probably deliberate.
You can also look at whether the brand has has news coverage and what has it said. Especially see what their CSR is like. Look up the founders and their work outside the brand. What values does their social media convey?
But always keep in mind, nothing can reveal as much as if you…
Ask them the tough questions
In the last blog, I mentioned a brand threw me out because I was asking too many questions. TrashySisters would tell you that’s a red flag. While realistic sustainability says we should look at the overall impact of a brand, we can all agree that honesty is an important part of being sustainable. And there’s always a way to check if the brand actually walks the talk.
See what reviews say
Of course, you can look at reviews and comments from people you have used the product or service to see how good a brand or company truly is. Just remember rating and reviewed can be fudged, and it is always better to take a longer look. If possible, badger the brand with questions about their production process, their supply chains, and more. Personally, I would go for brands which are trying to make sustainability accessible.
But it is also important to check their Glassdoor. After all, they could be the best brand in the world but if they don’t provide a healthy work environment, then what’s the point?
Ask in Your Community if you Feel the Need To
I often ask others working in the eco-friendly and ethical living field if I feel torn about a brand. Sometimes, I do my research about them alone or ask my friends and family for guidance. But I think the best thing I have done is join groups and websites like Planet Freelancers which allow me to be a part of a group of people looking for sustainability focused jobs and gigs.
Join such a community if possible to cut down on your research time.
Or you can always ask your fellow freelancers, creators, and work place buddies, about the company’s green initiatives.
See their packaging
I have mentioned this millions of times but packaging makes up 10% of the product and most of its aesthetic. While we realistically cannot begrudge a brand for choosing cute packaging, we can still take a long look at their packaging materials. Whether they are reusing, or whether they are making the products in green and using that as the sole claim to eco-friendliness? Do they say glass is sustainable without explaining the fine print? Maybe they truly believe them, but such ideas warrant questioning, because we want to…
Check if the brand understands nuances and importance of new information
Sustainability, ethical living, planet-friendly lifestyles, all of these might have become buzzwords but they are also an ever-evolving field. And we want to work with brands who are realistic enough to understand these nuances. Who are open to learning and changing with new information when possible.
But these aren’t the only criteria we need to look at. Everything that we need in a regular brand, diversity, inclusion, mental health support, a beautiful work-life balance, and such- these also apply to susty brands. Supporting small business, local communities, artisans, and such are equally as important as using marine-safe ingredients.
What do you think folks?
Can these tips help you find a sustainable job?
Let me know in the comments!
Also See: How to Identify Potential Clients
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