Britons choose morals over money when <br>looking for a job

Despite the recent slowdown in the jobs market, UK jobseekers are becoming more selective about which companies they would work for.

Todayís jobseekers are demanding ethically responsible employers with 43 per cent stating that they would not accept a job from a company without ethical or environmental policies - according to a new study by totaljobs.com - even if the firm offered 10,000 more than a business with a strong sense of corporate social responsibility.

And contrary to the days of the 90ís climber and 80ís yuppie, material perks are taking a backseat to ethical values when evaluating a job offer. Seventy four percent of jobseekers regard a company car as unimportant yet two thirds place high importance on a business having environmentally friendly policies.

And it seems that principles come with age. Almost half of jobseekers aged 50 or older were adamant that they would not work for a company that didnít have any environmental or ethical policies. However, more than two in three jobseekers aged 18 and under would accept a job offer from a company without sense of corporate social responsibility.

Unsurprisingly, jobseekers from the public sector are the most ethically conscious. Forty five per cent of public sector employees felt the strongest about not working for a company that didnít have any ethical policies. Playing to stereotypes, those in the media industry are most easily swayed by financial incentives, with 21 per cent prepared to work for a company with no ethical or environmental policies if they were offered an extra 10,000.

Jobseekers from Oxford are the most ethically aware with more than 40 per cent stating that they would take less wages rather than work for an ethically unsound company.

Keith Robinson, website director for totaljobs.com commented: ìIn an age where books such as No Logo and Fast Food Nation are international bestsellers, companies need to wise up and realise that they can no longer tempt jobseekers using financial incentives alone. A new breed of jobseeker is placing ethical issues above financial incentives when considering a job offer. The findings highlight the growing importance of corporate social responsibility. Future job packages need to reflect this newfound ethical consciousness among jobseekers if companies are to maintain their appeal.î