Can Consumers Drive the Sustainability Agenda? A Data Driven Discussion
At Climate Week NYC, GlobeScan, the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business, and Sustainable Brands brought together sustainability and business leaders to examine a critical question: are we reaching a tipping point where consumers are inclined and empowered to drive the sustainability agenda?
About the Discussion
The discussion moved beyond conventional assumptions about sustainable consumerism, drawing on research into consumer attitudes, behaviors, and purchasing data to explore where consumers really are today and what that means for businesses.
GlobeScan CEO, Chris Coulter, Randi Kronthal-Sacco, Senior Scholar and Adjunct Professor at the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business, and KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz, Founder and CEO of Sustainable Brands, opened the discussion by sharing research and perspectives on changing consumer attitudes and behaviors.
They were joined by Karen Pflug, CSO at Ingka Group; Ria Stout, Chief Programme Officer at the Forest Stewardship Council; David Eichberg, Vice President for Sustainability Strategy at Mastercard; and Janeva Morfaw, Lead, Sustainable Selection, Product Sustainability at Amazon, to explore how consumer engagement is evolving and what businesses can do to help translate consumer interest into action.
Key Insights
- Consumer interest remains strong: Despite declining levels of environmental concern, consumers continue to buy sustainable products or say they would like to do so, suggesting significant underlying demand.
- The biggest challenge is enabling action: Price is the leading barrier for consumers who want to purchase more sustainably, followed by not knowing about or being unable to find more environmentally friendly options.
- Trust remains a major hurdle: Trust in environmental claims from brands and companies is low across most markets, while certifications and labels remain consumers’ leading signal that a product is sustainable.
- Personal benefits can help unlock sustainable behaviour: Percieved health and well-being benefits help drive sustainable behaviours, including purchasing, pointing toward a stronger consumer narrative built around tangible personal benefits.
- Consumers want businesses to help: Consumers increasingly see themselves as capable of influencing companies through their choices, while also looking to brands for practical guidance and support.
