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”
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”