An ethical career doesn’t restrict you to working for a charity – it’s about working for a company you feel behaves responsibly and has a positive effect on other people’s lives. That means there are lots of careers to choose from, and working out which one’s for you can be a headache. To help you out, we’ve drawn up a list of eight potential ethical career avenues for you to ponder:
 

Gordon Brown in conversation with Mr Kumi Naidoo, Secretary General, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation. Photo: Crispin Hughes

Campaign staff generate public support and promote awareness of organisations’ campaigns. They attend events, give presentations, write promotional articles and work with policy teams to co-ordinate campaign messages. To do this job well you need to have good people skills and volunteering experience, and be committed to a charity’s aims.

As you might imagine, fundraisers are responsible for raising money for charities, which they do by identifying potential donors and motivating them to give donations. Fundraisers work on many fronts, from direct marketing (for example, letters through the post) to sponsorships and publications. They also co-ordinate volunteers, approach commercial organisations, and develop new fundraising ideas. Voluntary experience and a flair for creative thinking are useful attributes.

Civil servants work in local or central government, and keep the government machine running smoothly. The roles of civil servants are tremendously varied – from local councillors to the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence – and the salary and perks can be very attractive. The thread that keeps these different jobs together is that as a civil servant, you’re always working with the interests of the British public at heart.

A very green career, in which you would advise organisations on how to reduce their impact on the environment. Environmental consultants demonstrate how to establish recycling schemes or minimise energy and water costs, and carry out environmental audits and field surveys. As well as a relevant degree, it helps to be outgoing, methodical and have relevant voluntary experience.

If you really want to go into banking, but you’re also keen to have an ethical career, then you could work for an ethical bank such as Co-op or Triodos, who only invest their money in businesses that uphold human rights and respect the environment. Banking offers good promotional prospects and financial rewards, but you’ll need a good degree and numeracy skills to get in.

Housing associations are responsible for the four million government-subsidised rented properties in the UK. Housing advisers get tenancy agreements signed, help new tenants settle in, advise on housing benefit, and work to foster community spirit among those who live in council properties. To be successful you need to be organised, analytical and have good people skills.

Andy Bastable, Oxfam's Senior Public Health Engineer Adviser watches ongoing work to rebuild a potable water supply system Meulaboh town, Indonesia. Photo: Jim Holmes

Aid workers have varied roles, such as assessing emergency situations, producing proposals for funding and aid intervention, liasing with government officials and NGO staff, and co-ordinating volunteers. Employees must be diplomatic, well-organised and sensitive to cultural differences – but competition is intense, and paid opportunities usually require at least three years’ experience.

A social worker provides counselling, assistance with home care, and information about community resources and services. They form relationships with troubled people and advise them on how to solve their personal difficulties. For example, they might help children being bullied at school, ex-offenders seeking work or those suffering from HIV/AIDS.