Ethical Sourcing Officer

High School

A well-rounded education while in high school is a good foundation for this field. Take business, computer, economics, math, environmental, and social science classes. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are important for this type of work so be sure to take English and writing classes. Ethical sourcing officers travel frequently, sometimes to other countries to visit suppliers; foreign language classes are helpful.

Postsecondary Training

Most ethical sourcing officers have, at minimum, a bachelor's degree. Some employers prefer to hire sourcing specialists with a master's degree. Ethical sourcing officers may have a bachelor's or master's degree in business administration, logistics, or a related field. Some may have a degree in environmental studies or another specialization related to the industry in which they work. In general, college course work should cover topics such as business administration and management, economics, finance, purchasing, statistics, as well as ethics, government and law, and social sciences. Familiarity with computers is also important. The ability to write reports and make presentations is a key part of this job, so be sure to take English and speech classes.