What It Means To Take The Pledge
If you've taken the Pledge or are considering it, take a moment to think about what it means to be socially and environmentally responsible. Read on for some prompts and ideas.
* Much of the information here is adapted from Making a Living While Making a Difference by Melissa Everett; Office of Career Services, Manchester College.
Identify your values to learn what kind of work is important to you
Before you can determine what kind of work is important to you, it is useful to review your work and personal values, because they may change over time. These values will point you toward the social and environmental issues you want to embrace. Examples of values are: helping those in distress, being creative, opportunity to teach others, freedom to create own lifestyle, convincing others to do something, having supportive co-workers.
Determine what social responsibility means to you
According to the pledge, social responsibility is self-determined. Check out the Graduation Pledge web site (listed on back page of this pamphlet). There you will find information explaining social and environmental responsibility, including examples such as: believing in workplace accessibility for everyone, contributing to local charity and social change efforts, believing in the value of all cultures, using a production process that doesn't pollute the environment, respecting worker privacy, producing user friendly products that are reliable, and not testing products on animals.
Research socially responsible career fields and employers
Research using a variety of resources that you can get from the organization, from independent sources, from advocacy organizations and from talking with people. These resources might include: annual reports, marketing materials, internal newsletters, orientation materials given to those recently hired, publications on specific areas of controversy, published social and environmental audits, career counselors, placement agencies, newspapers, magazines, journals, books, official documents filed with government agencies, online databases. You can search for currently available jobs and internships at the Graduation Pledge web site.
Learn what questions to ask in an interview
- Is there an employee assistance program or similar source of support?
- Is there support for child care and other kinds of dependent care?
- Are there opportunities for community service with co-workers?
- What's the organization's record on occupational health and safety? Waste handling?
- How are products packaged? What efforts have been made to minimize solid waste?
- What programs does the organization have to contribute to the surrounding community?
Set goals for making a difference both in and out of the workplace
Be a co-creator of the workplace you want to see. After you are employed and as you change jobs throughout your lifetime, continue to think about making positive changes in your workplace. Job satisfaction is more than just a paycheck. Some ideas for workplace improvements include: recycling programs, mentoring programs, workplace flexibility, wellness programs, diversity programs, supporting green suppliers of office products, and promoting joy and celebration. If your workplace doesn't have these things, create them!