Ideas to Consider ...

Co-op America Action Guide

Co-op America

1612 K St NW #600
Washington DC 20006
tel 1-800-58GREEN
fax (202) 331-8166

Meaningful Work:
How to find a socially responsible job?

Whether defined broadly as life's work or narrowly as a way to make a living, each of us spends a lot of time working. And since time is such a precious resource, it is only natural to want work to be meaningful- to provide livelihood, to contribute to personal growth, and to help create a better world.

As you enter the American workforce or seek a new job, you should be aware that the American work ethic is alive and well. We spend more time of our waking hours at work than at any other activity. We work longer hours and have less vacation time than almost any other industrialized nation.

Work and employment issues dominate so much of our lives--how can we use these hours and that energy to make the changes we believe in? In striving for a livelihood, how can we find work that not only supports us, but inspires us and fulfills us, and contributes to a sustainable society?

These are the larger philosophical questions that may be on your mind at the same time as more practical questions like:

  • What kind of work will I enjoy?
  • How can I start to save money for further education?
  • What kinds of work are available for people with my qualifications?
  • How do I find work that will start me toward a lifelong career?
We hope the information in this Action Guide will provide starting points from which to begin answering these types of questions.
Just what is social responsibility?

A truly socially and environmentally responsible company or employer should show concern for the needs of the four major stakeholders: consumers, employees, communities, and the environment. You can determine whether a prospective employer respects the four stakeholders by asking specific questions, such as whether or not they:

  • promote their customers' positive education, social values, community life, and cultural traditions
  • have policies on equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, sexual harassment, and non-discrimination; offer good benefits to their employees; distribute income fairly among workers; encourage employee participation in goal-determination and decision-making
  • invest their profits in their communities or in socially screened investments; contribute volunteer time or charitable funds to their communities
  • comply with environmental standards and regulations; have taken steps to reduce and recycle waste; engage in animal testing
You may think that doing meaningful work requires sacrificing your financial goals or the concerns that are on all of our minds at all stages of life. Co-op America's definition of the social responsibility of an employer includes adequately providing for the present and future needs of employees and their dependents. Whether this means provisions for job training to increase and broaden your skills, subsidies for continued education, adequate health insurance, opportunity for advancement--a responsible employer will provide for these needs.

About this Action Guide
Co-op America urges you to think of your lifetime of work as a viable force of economic power and significance. The power of work is an important element to achieve the transformation to a just and sustainable society. This guide provides sources for finding jobs in the nonprofit, environmental, and social welfare sectors. This list includes resources for job listings, contact information for consultants, and ordering information for published catalogs and books.

Our Universal Goal
We believe that many opportunities for improving society will occur on the work front over the next few decades, and that the values and skills people like you bring to the workforce will shape those changes. While you may feel lost in the importance of seeking work and making money, we encourage you not to lose sight of your larger goals and highest ideals. When our jobs work to support us, fulfill us, and promote our goals and values, they can help lead to the kind of just and sustainable world we are all working for.