Showcasing your approach to sustainability
For today's students, environmental and social responsibility is not just a preference but a fundamental value. They seek employers who align with their ethical convictions and are committed to making a positive impact on the planet and society. Demonstrating a genuine commitment to sustainability not only resonates with students' values but also enhances your organisation's reputation, making it a more attractive and competitive choice for top talent. Embracing sustainability is not merely a trend but a strategic imperative in attracting, retaining, and motivating the diverse and socially-conscious workforce of the future.
We strive to ensure that organisations offering environmentally and socially-focused career paths are well represented on campus and that employers who wish to recruit our students and graduates provide greater transparency and are ambitious in their sustainability strategies.
What information are students looking for?
Students are looking for employers to be transparent and the more information you are able to provide about your values, and anything your organisation does to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the better. Where information is lacking, students may assume that you lack ambition in this area or are hiding something.
For this reason, when advertising roles with us or booking to attend our careers fairs and events on Career Connect, you will be asked to highlight any roles that include a focus on sustainability, and provide information which demonstrates your sustainability data, efforts, progress and achievements.
Here are some tips on information that you might like to provide to showcase your approach to sustainability:
- Indicate where roles have a specific focus on sustainability by ticking the relevant checkbox when posting a vacancy and clearly highlight how the role contributes to your sustainable development goals in the advert
- Your short-term sustainability goals
- Your longer-term sustainability goals
- A link to any publicly-available sustainability commitments, strategies and action plans
- How your work towards sustainable development goals is integrated into everyday operations, eg your work culture, office management, supply chains, and primary or secondary business activities
- How you support your staff, clients, and local communities and/or charities
- Any relevant sustainability credentials held by your organisation eg membership of B Corp, 1% for All Alliance, the Carbon Disclosure Project etc.
- How you track or measure your organisation’s Corporate Social Responsibility impact
Whilst smaller organisations are not required to disclose their allocations of turnover, operating and capital expenses across environmentally sustainable activities under the Non-Financial Reporting Directive, providing this kind of information will help students better understand your approach.
Support for smaller organisations
Organisations with fewer than 250 employees can seek membership in associations such as SME United, which provides guidance for small businesses working towards a more sustainable future.
The Federation for Small Businesses provides a ‘sustainability hub’, containing resources, tools and information to help small businesses become more sustainable.
Our Inclusive Recruitment Guide provides information and advice on how to make your recruitment practices more inclusive.
Engaging with our students
If you would like to discuss running an event or activity to showcase your approach to sustainability, engaging students who might be attracted to help your organisation become more sustainable, or supporting students in developing their sustainability awareness and skills, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Contact us
Email: careers@sheffield.ac.uk