Good Jobs for Good
At EduPloyment, we talk a lot about ‘good jobs for good’ – it’s central to our philosophy and drives our vision. So, what do we mean when we say good jobs for good? Before we explain the concept of ‘good jobs for good’, let us first give you some context and background.
According to the World Bank, around 10% of the global population lives in what is categorized as extreme to moderate poverty. In financial terms, it is equivalent to over 700 million people living on an average of $2.15 per day (however, this differs by country) – 50% of those people are children. For those living in ‘moderate poverty’, a recent article in The National defined ‘moderate poverty’ as someone living on a daily income of between $1.90 and $3.20. Additional factors have also affected this population, the pandemic for example. The number of people living in poverty increased by more than 100 million between 2019 and 2020, reversing five years of progress towards the eradication of poverty.
Poverty is a global humanitarian crisis that many people are simply born into and yet may struggle to break free from during their lives. Those living in poverty or ‘low-income homes’ are not only likely to have reduced access to food but also education, essential health services, job prospects or other opportunities to create income, and many will not live past their fifth birthday.
According to a UNESCO 2012 report, if people in low-income countries had basic reading and writing skills, an estimated 171 million people could escape extreme poverty. The global poverty rate would be cut by half if all adults completed secondary education. Research from the Harvard Business Review has shown that a rise in English proficiency leads to increased national income. On an individual level, job seekers with advanced English can earn 30-50% higher salaries. English proficiency also improves job prospects abroad, living standards, and life expectancy.
However, it is not as simple as education equals an easy escape from poverty. When it comes to those living in moderate poverty, while they may have strong vocational skills, speak English, and have the education to enable them to, on paper, ‘escape poverty’, they face significant challenges in actually finding a job. This is due to limited available job opportunities, opportunities that don’t match their vocational skills, or the opportunities available simply don’t provide them with the means to improve their or their family’s economic situation.
Why are we telling you this?
We know that when an underprivileged person has access to education and is employed, they can change the economic outlook for not only themselves but an average of seven other people. EduPloyment’s vision is to help achieve the global goal of eradicating poverty through education and facilitating employment opportunities for those in moderate poverty. These candidates may be highly skilled, they might be staff workers, or may have specific vocations. Many employers seek to fill roles such as receptionists, secretaries, sales executives, accountants, nail technicians, kitchen staff, baristas, construction workers, maintenance workers, drivers, and many others. There is a significant number of motivated, skilled and unskilled individuals from low-income countries looking for those employment opportunities.
How does this relate to good jobs for good?
Unfortunately, it is a fact that people who suffer from poverty in low-income countries are most likely to be exploited by others. Exploitation or un-ethical hiring and recruitment practices can include charging unaffordable fees for the promise of employment opportunities abroad. Un-ethical recruitment companies may offer to loan workers money with high-interest rates to pay hefty ‘recruitment fees’. The ‘recruiter’ might then take all or some of the individual’s salary to repay the debt, sometimes through forced labor, until the full payment is made (if that is ever achieved). Exploited workers may also suffer due to misrepresented job roles, discrimination within their new workplace, lack of adherence by recruitment companies or organizations to local labor laws, and may have their passports stolen and their freedom of movement restricted.
It doesn’t need us to say that these are not ‘good’ jobs.
What is a Good Job for Good?
There are three pillars of the Good Jobs for Good philosophy:
- The Employers: employers practicing ethical hiring and employment methods.
- The Candidates: motivated individuals looking for ethical job opportunities.
- The World: working together to end poverty by providing decent work and economic growth.
For Employers
This is where employers drive ethical hiring and employment practices throughout their business. There are several ways that employers can do this, including interviewing candidates directly, agreeing on ethical recruitment practices with third parties, never posting misleading job ads, and addressing discrimination issues. Employers should also adhere to local laws and international best practices and consider building ethical agreements into employment contracts.
In simple terms, for employers, Good Jobs for Good simply means:
Providing good employment opportunities
Hiring workers who are good at what they do
Providing a good and fair wage
Creating a good work environment for all employees
Being part of a global movement to create good jobs for good to help eradicate poverty
For Candidates
Candidates also have an obligation to ensure that they are adhering to moral and ethical standards. This includes: being honest about skills, providing an accurate CV, turning up for interviews, dressing appropriately, working to the best of their skill and ability, and adhering to company procedures, rules, and local laws.
For candidates, Good Jobs for Good means:
Access to good employment opportunities
Finding good jobs
Being paid a good and fair salary
Being a good employee who acts with integrity
Paying it forward by sharing good opportunities with others
Being part of a global movement to uplift themselves and others through good jobs for good
For The World
In 2015, the world’s leaders agreed to 17 global goals adopted by the United Nations, to build a greener, fairer, better world. EduPloyment is working to support and achieve three of those UN goals.
EduPloyment’s mission is to help eradicate poverty to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG)1, which is to ‘end poverty in all its forms everywhere’. EduPloyment aims to support this goal by helping to make two other SDG goals a reality:
- By providing decent work and economic growth by achieving SDG 8; promoting and supporting ‘sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all’;
- And by providing quality education, helping to achieve SDG 4; ‘ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all’.
These may seem like insurmountable goals; however, the UN, world leaders, and organizations big and small around the globe are committed to taking action. We know that a positive action or change in our day-to-day lives, no matter how small, has the power to create a ripple effect of change.
Businesses can make a difference and have a significant impact on these goals by simply ensuring that their hiring and employment practices are ethical.
This is what Good Jobs for Good is all about, and EduPloyment is here to help you and your business with your ethical hiring and recruitment needs whenever you are ready.
About EduPloyment
As a social impact enterprise, EduPloyment is a global online recruitment platform empowering skilled and unskilled workers with English and fair work, thereby uplifting them and their dependents into a lifetime of upskilling and employment.
We know that when an underprivileged person is educated, employed, and empowered they will be uplifted from their current economic state. Their family members and dependents, which number seven on average, are also uplifted and have a better chance of breaking the cycle. EduPloyment’s purpose is to deliver this empowerment to every Candidate and perpetuate this ripple effect to their communities.
EduPloyment helps Candidates gain English language and soft skills, and connects them directly with employers providing fair work, safe working environments, and fair pay.
For Employers, EduPloyment addresses recruitment challenges of time-consuming processes, Candidates not meeting job requirements, and expensive placement fees, while providing a direct and tangible social impact.
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