What Do ESG-Driven Candidates Want from Tech Employers?

Why should a cloud engineer care about your ESG policy?

Because they’ve got five offers, and only one of them backs it up with action.

Tech candidates aren't just chasing salary. Whether it's a data scientist, DevOps engineer or AI specialist, more are choosing employers who show clear values and follow through. ESG is now a filter. If your hiring process ignores it, you risk losing the talent you want.

This blog breaks down how Environmental, Social and Governance priorities are changing tech recruitment. From employer branding to contract offers, here’s how to build a hiring strategy that reflects what candidates actually care about.

ESG and the Tech Hiring Landscape: What’s Changed?

Over the past five years, ESG has moved from a peripheral priority to a core element of digital recruitment. This shift is especially visible in the tech sector, where emerging disciplines like AI ethics, sustainable infrastructure, and inclusive product development are reshaping what it means to hire responsibly.

Tech professionals, especially those in data, cloud, and software engineering, are increasingly motivated by purpose-led work. According to IBM’s Institute for Business Value, 71% of people believe that environmentally sustainable companies are more attractive employers. That figure rises to 84% among Gen Z employees and job seekers.

From fintech start-ups to global infrastructure providers, businesses are integrating ESG goals into their hiring narrative. They're adapting job descriptions to reflect these values, creating roles that directly address sustainability or ethics, and aligning employer branding with long-term social impact.

It’s not just about how you look on paper. ESG influences who applies, who accepts, and who stays. In a competitive tech market, failing to address its risks can damage both reputation and retention.

McGregor Boyall works with employers to build recruitment strategies that reflect the values today’s talent expects.

Why ESG Strategy Matters for Attracting Tech Talent

For tech professionals, an employer’s ESG credentials are often a deal-breaker. Candidates want clarity around what a company stands for and how those values play out in practice.

Stronger Employer Branding

• ESG-aligned messaging makes businesses appear more transparent and forward-thinking.
• This includes how job adverts are written, what values are emphasised in interviews, and the tone of employer content.

Higher Retention Rates

• Employees who connect with a company’s ESG principles are more likely to stay long-term.
• This is especially vital for roles in cloud infrastructure, AI, and data analytics, where mid-project exits can be disruptive and costly.

Recruitment Agencies Can Bridge the Gap

• Tech recruitment agencies with ESG expertise, like McGregor Boyall, can match purpose-led professionals with mission-aligned roles.
• By embedding ESG into the recruitment narrative, agencies help deliver both talent and fit.

Embedding ESG into recruitment is now business best practice. According to Veridion and SHRM, 75% of HR executives believe ESG strategies positively impact employee engagement, and 64% say ESG efforts aid recruitment.

Candidate Expectations: What Purpose-Led Tech Professionals Look For

Tech candidates in 2025 are asking more from employers. Beyond salary and flexibility, they want to know what a business stands for and how their own work contributes to something bigger.

What candidates are prioritising:

• Transparent ESG commitments: Policies and actions on sustainability, governance, and social impact.
• Diversity, equality, and inclusion: Evidence of progress in leadership representation, inclusive hiring practices, and equitable growth opportunities.
• Ethical use of technology: Clear frameworks around responsible data use, AI ethics, and cybersecurity integrity.
• Flexible, values-aligned contracts: Especially in contract recruitment, candidates want clarity on how project work aligns with broader ESG goals.
• Leadership accountability: A visible commitment from tech leadership to build cultures of inclusion, transparency, and shared responsibility.

As expectations rise, businesses must ensure these priorities are not only understood but clearly communicated throughout the recruitment process, because every touchpoint is a chance to reflect what you stand for and why it matters to the people you want to hire.

Five Ways to Embed ESG into Your Tech Hiring Strategy

Building ESG into your hiring process doesn’t require a full transformation overnight. It requires clarity and a willingness to align recruitment with your broader impact goals. Here’s where to start:

1. Define and Communicate Your ESG Vision

• Make your ESG commitments visible in recruitment materials.
• Be specific: outline sustainability targets, social initiatives, and governance practices that matter to your business and stakeholders.

2. Rethink Job Descriptions

• Use inclusive, value-led language that appeals to purpose-driven professionals.
• Clearly state how the role contributes to ESG goals, particularly for positions in digital transformation leadership and AI development.

3. Align ESG with DE&I Priorities

• Integrate diversity, equality and inclusion into the heart of your hiring approach.
• Highlight support programmes for underrepresented groups, including initiatives that support women in tech.

4. Audit Your Interview and Onboarding Process

• Train hiring teams to discuss ESG honestly and answer candidate questions transparently.
• Ensure onboarding reinforces your stated values from day one.

5. Work With Specialist Recruitment Partners

• Partner with tech recruitment agencies who understand ESG-aligned hiring.
• Agencies like McGregor Boyall can help position your vacancies with authenticity and attract high-quality candidates who care about more than just the job title.

Contract Recruitment with a Purpose

Contract roles are often seen as short-term solutions, but in the tech sector, they increasingly serve as strategic drivers of ESG progress. Agile delivery doesn’t have to mean compromised values.

Organisations that prioritise ESG are extending those commitments into their contract hiring, particularly in areas like cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, and AI development. Purpose-led contractors can help advance sustainability goals, improve team diversity, and deliver value without a long lead time.

But to attract this talent, businesses must go beyond speed and cost-efficiency. You need to:

• Provide project briefs that show alignment with ethical and environmental priorities.
• Ensure inclusive shortlisting and fair assessment criteria.
• Offer onboarding and support that reflect company culture and purpose.

McGregor Boyall’s Contractor Hub supports clients in embedding ESG into their contingent workforce planning. From pre-employment screening to onboarding, our contract recruitment services are built for quality, consistency, and values alignment.

Supporting Long-Term Change: What Businesses Need to Get Right

Embedding ESG into recruitment is a strong start. But sustaining it requires alignment across the business. That means integrating values with long-term systems, leadership behaviour, and day-to-day operations.

Key focus areas for lasting impact:

• Executive buy-in: ESG must be championed by leadership, with clear accountability and consistent messaging.
• Company-wide integration: Recruitment should align with internal policies on sustainability, governance, and DE&I to ensure consistency from hiring through to retention.
• Transparent metrics: Define how ESG success is measured and reported. Candidates and employees alike want to see results, not just intentions.
• Continuous feedback loops: Use onboarding surveys, exit interviews, and internal feedback to assess how well ESG is reflected in the employee experience.

Need Support with ESG-Driven Tech Recruitment?

At McGregor Boyall, we partner with organisations across tech, fintech, cloud, and data to build future-fit teams that reflect their values.

Whether you're looking to enhance your ESG strategy, diversify your talent pipeline, or scale purpose-led contract recruitment, our consultants can help. With a proven track record in ESG-aligned hiring and deep sector knowledge, we’re ready to support your next step.

Contact our team to learn more about how we can help align your recruitment with what matters most to your business, your people, and your future.