People’s understanding of sustainability and the impact of their own behaviors on the environment are currently quite limited compared to what is needed to address social and environmental challenges.
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There is an increasing sense of consumer disempowerment and a growing reliance on systemic actors like government and industry to take on the burden of addressing climate change and other environmental issues.
Public support for the regulation of corporate sustainability has grown dramatically over the past two decades in many important markets globally.
People are more concerned about the effects of climate change than the potential dangers of AI on the world.
A majority of people associate climate change with socio-economic impacts such as aggravated poverty, limited access to water and food, and economic issues.
While a majority says the shift will have a positive impact on them and their family, this proportion is significantly smaller than those who say the shift is needed
The general public widely supports a range of solutions that address climate change and protect nature. Together with nature-based solutions like protecting forests, people are most supportive of education on climate change and shifting to agricultural practices that protect nature.
Majority of people believe that governments, followed by companies and international bodies, are the most responsible for addressing climate change.
Nine in ten people across the world say that deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is a serious global problem. Globally, people tend to be more concerned about this than several other problems such as the economy or the gap between rich and poor. Concern about deforestation in the Amazon rainforest has remained consistent between 2021 and 2023, with 56 percent of the global public saying it is a very serious issue and another 34 percent saying it is somewhat serious. … “Insight of the Week: Ninety Percent of People Globally Believe Deforestation in the Amazon is a Serious Issue”
As we pass Earth Overshoot Day on August 2nd, the day when humanity has collectively used more resources than Earth can generate for the whole year, we are reminded that our overuse of natural resources is a continuous threat to the planet.
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Insight of the Week: North Americans and Europeans Are Least Interested in Eating a Plant-based Diet
North Americans and Europeans express the least interest in switching to plant-based food and are currently the least likely to say they follow vegetarian diets. The largest gaps between interest in plant-based eating and current habits can be seen in the Latin American countries surveyed.
As temperatures rise around the world, nearly two-thirds of the global public that feel personally affected by climate change say they experience it through extreme heat. Many also connect climate change with their experiences of increasing food prices, followed by drought and diseases. Extreme heat is the most-perceived effect of climate change in Europe, Asia, North America, and Latin America, while food price increases is the most-perceived effect by those surveyed in Africa.
Corporate Affairs professionals believe that using AI and digitization is the biggest opportunity available to global businesses.
The perceived urgency of climate change among experts still surpasses other sustainability challenges, emphasizing the prominence of climate change followed by the closely rated issues of biodiversity loss, water scarcity, deforestation, and poverty. Experts’ concerns about climate change have been validated by the recent surge in natural disasters worldwide. Instances such as wildfires in Canada, severe droughts in Latin America, and devastating floods in China exemplify the tangible consequences of climate change, highlighting the urgent need for action. Source: GlobeScan/SustainAbility Survey of 520 … “Insight of the Week: Climate Change and Related Issues Are Urgent according to Sustainability Experts”
Sustainability experts name a range of legislative initiatives along with several disclosure frameworks as key recent sustainability breakthroughs, pushing compliance to the forefront of the sustainability agenda. Legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and EU Green Deal, disclosure standards, and the COP15 biodiversity agreement are considered by experts to be the most important sustainability developments in the past year. Other highlighted developments include recent action and commitments by businesses and the rise of green financing. Source: GlobeScan/SustainAbility Survey of 520 experts … “Insight of the Week: Legislation, Disclosure Standards, and Advancing Biodiversity Named Most Significant Sustainability Breakthroughs”
Sustainability professionals increasingly say that the reasons they recognize companies as sustainability leaders are integration of sustainability into business models and strategy, demonstrated impact of sustainability initiatives, ambitious targets, and innovation, suggesting companies striving for sustainability leadership should take note of the growing importance of these key drivers of recognized leadership in an era where attention is often focused on compliance. Sustainability experts in all regions and sectors agree that integrating sustainability into business models and strategy is a top … “Insight of the Week: Experts Say Integration, Impact, Targets, and Innovation Drive Corporate Sustainability Leadership “
More than any other NGO, sustainability experts continue to recognize the World Wildlife Fund as the leader in sustainable development (named by 42%) followed by Greenpeace and organizations tied to the United Nations such as the Global Compact (15% each) and the World Resources Institute (14%). Collaborations and stakeholder engagement most drive recognized leadership among NGOs according to experts surveyed – nearly half of those mentioning WWF as a leader say this is because of its collaboration and engagement efforts (48%) … “Insight of the Week: WWF Continues to Be Recognized as the NGO Leader in Sustainable Development”
For the first time, Patagonia has become the most recognized corporate leader by sustainability professionals, overtaking Unilever which held the top spot for over a decade as the most recognized corporate leader for sustainability in the new GlobeScan/SustainAbility Survey. Patagonia is the most mentioned sustainability leader after transferring ownership of the company to a trust that seeks to address climate change and protect nature. IKEA (10%), Natura &Co (9%), and Microsoft (6%) round out the top five most mentioned companies. Source: GlobeScan/SustainAbility Survey of 520 experts … “Insight of the Week: Patagonia Overtakes Unilever as Most Sustainable Corporate Leader”
Over the last few years there has been a slow but steady increase in people taking action to reduce the amount of plastic waste in their daily lives. In most of the countries that produce the highest amount of plastic waste, including the USA, India, China, Brazil, Indonesia, Germany, the UK, Mexico, and Japan, people are now more likely than before the pandemic to say they frequently avoid plastic items that will only be used once. Recycling and people using their … “Insight of the Week: Global Consumer Actions to Reduce Plastic Waste Surpass Pre-pandemic Levels”
With increased pressure from regulators and stakeholders, two-thirds of Corporate Affairs professionals are now worried about being accused of “greenwashing” or making exaggerated environmental claims, up from just over half in 2022. This sharp increase in concern suggests that Corporate Affairs professionals are taking the consequences of greenwashing more seriously. New regulations, increased awareness of environmental issues, and the threat of investor pressure may lead many companies to become more cautious in their communications to avoid reputational damage and other repercussions of making … “Insight of the Week: Fear of Greenwashing Accusations Rises Among Corporate Affairs Professionals”
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People in Brazil are overwhelmingly concerned about deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, with nearly three-quarters expressing serious concern while 22 percent say the situation is “somewhat serious.” Women, those with low or average incomes, and people living in rural areas are most concerned. Cattle ranching, agriculture, and legal and illegal timber logging are significant drivers of the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.1 Despite efforts by the new government in Brazil to change course, deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest continues to increase.2 … “Insight of the Week: 74% of Brazilians Say Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest Is a “Very Serious” Issue”
As South Africans continue to experience frequent power outages, over three-quarters of South Africans (77%) believe the use of renewable energy will probably or definitely become widespread in the next decade. The energy crisis in South Africa has resulted from aging power infrastructure, mismanagement of the state-owned electricity company, and a lack of investment in new power generation capacity. However, most South Africans are optimistic that the country can soon turn to renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. … “Insight of the Week: 77% of South Africans Believe Renewable Energy Use Will Be More Common in the Next Decade”
As India overtakes China as the world’s most populous country, Indians remain mostly optimistic about the quality of life that their children and grandchildren can expect in the future. More than three-quarters of people in India agree that future generations will have a higher quality of life than we do today, with Millennials expressing the most optimism. However, while Millennial Indians have grown up witnessing improvements in many areas that perhaps have inspired a more positive outlook, younger Indians that are … “Insight of the Week: Millennials in India Are Most Enthusiastic about Quality of Life for Future Generations”
Four in ten US consumers support companies and brands speaking out in favor of LGBTQ+ rights, while 14 percent say they should actively oppose. Another 35 percent of American consumers prefer companies to stay quiet and neutral on the issue, with older people being significantly more likely to prefer impartiality while younger people expect companies to take sides. As shown by current controversies, these findings suggest that the American public remains divided over the role that they expect companies and … “Insight of the Week: Four in Ten Americans Say Companies Should Advocate for LGBTQ+ Rights”