More than half of global consumers (53 percent/representing 1.1 billion people) prefer to purchase products and services from a company with a strong environmental reputation, according to a new global survey.
The global survey, sponsored by TANDBERG and conducted by Ipsos MORI, interviewed 16,823 consumers in 15 countries in order to examine consumer and worker environmental attitudes and behavior. The TANDBERG study surveyed respondents in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Spain, Sweden and the United States.
In addition, the survey revealed that not only is a company’s environmental reputation a clear preference for its customers, but also for its employees. In fact, eight in ten workers surveyed globally said they would prefer to work for an environmentally ethical organization.
“In this increasingly global and collaborative workplace, employees identify closely with the values and ethics of the companies they work for,” said Frost & Sullivan industry analyst Melanie Turek. “And with environmental concerns high on many people’s lists of priorities, it’s important for employees to believe that their employer is doing all it can to be a responsible corporate citizen.”
“The findings clearly suggest a relationship between a company’s environmental reputation and its brand value,” said TANDBERG CEO, Fredrik Halvorsen. “In addition to the ethical reasons for ‘going green’, there is a tremendous incentive for companies across the globe to focus efforts on environmental responsibility to attract customers, recruit and retain strong talent, and positively affect their external brand perception.”
Consumer Sentiment – China and Australia Lead the Pack
While a majority of consumers globally prefer purchasing from companies with a strong environmental reputation, the figure was particularly high in China, with 67 percent of consumers concurring. Australia came in second with 52 percent, and Sweden came in third with 46 percent.
However, these numbers dropped considerably in other areas of Europe, with Germany, Great Britain and France at 28 percent, 27 percent and 23 percent, respectively. The United States and Canada remained in the middle of the pack with 42 percent and 34 percent, respectively.
Employee Sentiment – Employers Judged on Environmental Leadership and Green Policies
According to the survey, 12 percent (representing almost a quarter of a billion people in the 15 markets) are calling on corporations to take the lead when it comes to limiting the effects of climate change. This figure was highest in Germany, Italy and the United States (all 20%).
When asked what would be most likely to encourage their employers to become more environmentally responsible than they are today, government policies, subsidies and incentives came in first at 31 percent – narrowly beating the availability of environmentally friendly technologies at 27 percent. The ability to leverage a positive “green” reputation for competitive advantage ranked third at 10 percent.
Globally, workers believe that the most effective environmental initiatives for their own workplace are recycling programs (65 percent) – beating out water/waste/emissions reduction (60 percent) and the use of eco-friendly business materials (60 percent).
The TANDBERG/Ipsos MORI study was conducted via an omnibus survey between May and July 2007. A total of 16,823 people were interviewed, representing a total global population of two billion people. Access complete results of this global survey at: