One in two Brits will be on the hunt for a new job this new year, and with 880 monthly searches being made around “sustainable businesses”, according to Google Search Trend Data, Savoy Stewart has released the sectors who believe in a greener world.
A recent study has revealed that 88% of workers feel their jobs are more meaningful when they have the chance to positively influence social and environmental issues.
With this insight in mind, Savoy Stewart was keen to find out which careers in the UK prioritise sustainability the most through terms they use in their job role advertisements, working with Adzuna to find out more.
The top 10 job roles prioritising sustainability
| Sector | Sustainable company | Sustainability | Corporate social responsibility | Certified B | Zero waste | Total number of advertised jobs mentioning sustainability | |
| 1 | Engineering | 1 | 381 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 399 |
| 2 | Accounting & Finance | 0 | 199 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 211 |
| 3 | IT | 0 | 182 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 201 |
| 4 | Trade & Construction | 1 | 139 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 149 |
| 5 | Consultancy | 0 | 137 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 147 |
| 6 | Retail | 5 | 120 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 131 |
| 7 | Sales | 1 | 115 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 124 |
| 8 | Graduate | 0 | 105 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 111 |
| 9 | Hospitality & Catering | 2 | 78 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 94 |
| 10 | PR, Advertising & Marketing | 0 | 82 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 88 |
Please see the full data set here.
Sustainable businesses – the results
The research found that Engineering is the most sustainable industry in the UK for 2023, with 399 job advertisements using terms related to sustainability in October alone.
The role of a sustainable Engineer is to design and implement innovative solutions that focus on minimising waste, utilising renewable sources, and decreasing other environmental impacts by creating an efficient system for the future with the aim of a better world.
In second place is Accounting and Finance. The industry boasts 211 terms relating to sustainability cited in their job advertisements at the time of writing.
The goal of sustainable finance is to incorporate governance, social, and environmental factors into investment decisions. Over time, this results in increased funding for environmentally friendly initiatives and projects that can also support healthy ecosystems and a circular economy.
IT ranks as the third career offering sustainable roles in the UK, with just over 200 mentions in their job postings. Also known as Green IT, helps reduce the environmental impact through utilising energy efficient hardware, data centres, server virtualisation and monitoring systems.
Ranking fourth place is Trade and Construction, with 149 vacancies mentioning terms related to sustainability, whilst coming close in fifth is Consultancy with a total of 147 open vacancies featuring terms and phrases around sustainability in the workplace.
According to the data from Adzuna, the most popular eco terms employers are using in their job ads as of October 2023 are “Sustainability” (25,774 job ads), “Corporate social responsibility” (1,386 job ads), and “Certified B” (341 job ads) in a total of 1,041,799 job ads released last month relating to the environmental factor.
What employees want in 2024
The job market in 2024 is witnessing a profound shift towards sustainability and meaningful work. These findings reveal a substantial interest in sustainable businesses, with one in two Brits actively seeking new opportunities. The top 10 job roles prioritising sustainability, particularly in Engineering, Accounting & Finance, and IT, underscore a growing commitment across diverse industries.
The prevalence of eco-friendly terms in job ads, such as “Sustainability” and “Corporate social responsibility,” signals a broader recognition of the importance of sustainable business decisions. Job seekers are not just looking for employment; they are seeking roles aligned with their values and a desire to positively impact social and environmental issues.
As we move forward, the integration of workplace well-being, employee satisfaction, and sustainability will remain integral to shaping a job market that resonates with the values and aspirations of the modern workforce in 2024.
Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.
