Ethical Sourcing Officer

An increasing number of companies have adopted ethical sourcing practices into their code of conduct for their suppliers. Awareness of the significance of ethical sourcing of goods, products, and services is expected to continue growing in the future. A 2023 study by NielsenIQ found that 78 percent of U.S. consumers "say that a sustainable lifestyle is important to them." From 2018 to 2022, more consumers have also shifted their spending toward products with environmental, social, and governmental (ESG) claims on their packaging. According to the study, "...the overall trend ... was clear: in two-thirds of categories, products that made ESG-related claims grew faster than those that didn't."

As the public's awareness of ethical and sustainable practices grows, more companies will seek the expertise of ethical sourcing officers. The procurement field in general is expected to grow by 7 percent through 2033, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the Department of Labor. Job growth will vary depending on the occupation, but businesses will continue to need procurement workers to secure goods and services for resale to customers. The growth of new procurement technologies that are able to find suppliers and increased use of artificial intelligence will lead to more automation, which will reduce the need for general procurement professionals. However, ethical sourcing is a more complex procurement function, and companies that seek to improve their ethical trade practices will continue to hire ethical sourcing officers to help strategize their ethical trade policy. Ethical sourcing officers with an advanced degree, several years of ethical sourcing experience, and knowledge of a foreign language will have the best job prospects.