Global Public Opinion Insights
GlobeScan research shows the forestry sector holds a solid upper‑mid position globally on societal reputation, with perceptions improving in most markets and strong support across generations.
Global insights into how the forestry sector is perceived in fulfilling its responsibilities to society
Forestry plays a central role in balancing economic activity with environmental stewardship, shaping public perceptions of land use, biodiversity, and climate action. As scrutiny of natural‑resource sectors intensifies, expectations around responsible forestry practices, transparency, and community engagement continue to grow.
This latest edition of GlobeScan’s long‑running societal reputation research examines how the forestry sector is perceived across 33 global markets. The findings show forestry performing relatively well compared to many other sectors, with positive momentum in most markets while also revealing clear regional differences that point to targeted opportunities for strengthening trust and social license to operate.
Key insights include:
- A solid upper‑mid global position with positive momentum. Forestry companies rank 7th out of 21 sectors globally in fulfilling their responsibilities to society. Nearly four in ten people rate the sector as an above‑average performer, and perceptions have improved in most markets since 2024.
- Strong performance in Europe and North America. Forestry ranks among the top‑performing sectors across much of Europe and North America, leading in markets such as Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, and placing highly in the UK, USA, and Canada, reinforcing its perceived societal contribution in mature markets.
- Uneven perceptions elsewhere. While forestry performs well in markets such as Australia, China, and Japan, views are more mixed across parts of Asia‑Pacific, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Argentina stands out as the weakest market, where forestry ranks 20th out of 21 sectors.
- Broad cross‑generational support. Forestry companies are viewed positively across all age groups. Gen Z and Millennials rate the sector slightly more favorably, but even among Baby Boomers and older, forestry ranks 4th out of 21 sectors, an unusually strong showing for a natural resource industry.
- Targeted engagement can strengthen trust. The findings highlight opportunities to close market‑level gaps through deeper local engagement, improved transparency, addressing land‑use and Indigenous rights concerns, and clearer communication of sustainable forestry’s climate and biodiversity contributions.
