Looking for an Environmentally Friendly Job in Marketing? What to Know

Currently, the critical problem of global warming is one of the primary issues on the international agenda. The UN climate change conference in December will introduce a new worldwide treaty on reducing carbon emissions, while the British government’s CO2 emissions trading scheme, Reduction Commitment, is to come into being next April. There has never been more pressure on companies to build environmental sustainability into the production, packaging and branding of products.

On the one hand, marketing companies face the challenge of reconciling their need to accelerate product development and the consumer cycle with notions of sustainability. On the other, once they have done so, it is a tough task convincing customers and potential employees that such carbon-cutting initiatives are credible. Many of us remain unmoved by a brand’s claims that its products and packaging comprise eco-friendly materials. Such claims often seem only to be insincere selling tactics.

Whether you are looking to buy from, or to work for, an environmentally friendly marketing company, there are several factors to consider when assessing the truth behind a brand’s eco-friendly promises. For a start, it is worth noting whether a company holistically integrates sustainability into its vision, its values and its mission statement, rather than just appending sustainability clauses onto product descriptions. Companies that are meaningfully committed to developing eco-friendly policies will also often incorporate after-use recycling into product design. Some companies even implement technologies to reduce business travel and commuting among employees.

In addition, it is useful to reflect on whether the carbon-cutting goals that the company alleges to set itself are specific, credible and measurable. If such goals appear to be vague and under-researched, it is likely that the company is green-washing, or being disingenuous. Some companies, for example, will deceptively present cost-cuts on its products as correlative to reductions in its use of resources. It is thus advisable to see if a company substantiates its claims, and takes care to point out which elements of its product or packaging will benefit the environment, and how.

Finally, there are currently many online job search engines that can enable you to browse through so many available jobs in the marketing sector that you’ll be bound to find a company with eco-friendly initiatives you can trust. Look at Guardian Jobs, for example, and their wide pool of marketing jobs.  Such a term can act as an umbrella for jobs in events, product development or advertising, to name a few. So research the positions that could suit your background and interests, and find postings to match your qualifications and requirements. You can also register to receive daily job postings via email, so you won’t miss out on potentially suitable positions.