Larry Fink, CEO and Chairman of BlackRock, the world’s largest investment management firm, has sent out an annual letter to CEOs of the companies that BlackRock invests in on behalf of its clients since 2012. The letters are seen as a bellwether of the expectations that the finance industry – and wider society – has on business and its role in society. Over the last decade we have seen a dramatic evolution in both the topics and the tone of … “Accelerating the Tectonic Shift to Net Zero: Analysis of Larry Fink’s Annual Letter to CEOs”
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Next gen insights, strategies and real world brand examples from BBMG, GlobeScan, Dave’s Killer Bread, and General Mills Our latest study finds people under age 30 are ready for a radical renewal of our economy and eager for bold brand leadership on issues from climate action to social justice. So how do we meet their needs? And what does leadership look like? On 9 February 2021 we hosted a webinar exploring headlines from BBMG and GlobeScan’s global public opinion study, perspectives … “Webinar | How to Build a Radically Better Future”
Human contact with wild animals increases the risk of zoonotic disease transmission, and COVID-19, which is believed to have originated from the consumption of wild animals, has shown the world just how serious this can be. However, this is not the first time Nigeria has suffered from past outbreaks of zoonotic diseases with HIV, Ebola and Lassa fever having all affected the country. To establish the level of urban bushmeat consumption in Nigeria and investigate the effects that COVID-19 is … “Webinar | Understanding and Addressing Urban Consumption of Bushmeat in Nigeria”
Economic Inequality Is Seen as a Bigger Investment Risk Than Climate Change Shareholder Views on Investment Risk, Agree (Somewhat and Strongly), Subsample: Shareholders, Average of 27 Countries (n=9,648), 2020 Strong majorities of retail investors – people in the general population who own shares directly or indirectly – believe that both economic inequality and climate change are significant risks for shareholders. Only in South Korea and Sweden are retail investors more worried about climate change than inequality, a surprising finding given … “Insight of the Week: Economic Inequality Is Seen as a Bigger Investment Risk Than Climate Change”
Urgency of Societal Challenges % of Experts, “Urgent” (4+5), 2011–2020 The perceived urgency of acting on climate change has been steadily increasing over the last decade among those surveyed in GlobeScan and SustainAbility’s survey of sustainability professionals, with 94 percent of respondents now saying that the challenge is “very urgent.” Climate, biodiversity loss, water scarcity, and poverty have been consistently seen as the greatest social and environmental challenges facing the global community, but 2020 has also seen a dramatic rise … “Insight of the Week: Urgency of Societal Challenges”
It is a common assumption that younger generations — Gen Z and millennials — are more greatly concerned with global challenges. Born in the digital age, these generations are seen to be more health-conscious, socially aware and environmentally responsible. This narrative is consistently reiterated by the media who frequently highlight the willingness of these younger generations to stand up for what they care about. In our Radically Better Future: The Next Gen Reckoning Report with BBMG, 73 percent of young … “Why Younger Generations are More Willing to Change in the Name of Sustainability”
Charismatic animals For many years, the species that are well known and loved among the public have received the lion’s share of conservation funding. The panda became the symbol of wildlife conservation half a century ago, and for many years, elephants have been a focus for conservation followed by rhinos, tigers, and other “charismatic animals” that capture the public’s attention. Only the pangolin is an anomaly on the list, as few people have ever seen this elusive nocturnal animal. But … “How a Hapless Bat Rather than a Famous Panda May Save Wildlife”
Seriousness of Climate Change “Very Serious” and “Somewhat Serious,” Average of 16 Countries* vs USA, 2015–2020 As the United States once again joins the Paris Agreement under President Biden’s new leadership, GlobeScan’s research shows that over the past five years, Americans’ worries about the climate have become increasingly aligned with the rest of the world. More than eight in ten Americans now say that climate change is a very or somewhat serious issue, with those under 30 years of age … “Insight of the Week: Seriousness of Climate Change”
Performance of Technology vs Social Media Sectors in Fulfilling Responsibilities to Society Net Performance,* Average 27 Countries, 2020 Technology and computer companies are viewed by the general public as performing better on fulfilling their responsibilities to society than social media companies, with people in 25 out of 27 countries rating technology companies higher (people in Kenya and Vietnam rate social media companies slightly higher). Perceptions of the two sectors differ the most in the UK, where people hold particularly negative … “Insight of the Week: Performance of Technology vs Social Media Sectors in Fulfilling Responsibilities to Society”
Seriousness of Social and Political Division in my Country “Very Serious,” by Country, 2020 There is great variability in public opinion across countries when it comes to concern about “social and political division in my country.” The perceived seriousness of societal polarization is especially acute in Nigeria, Brazil, Hong Kong, South Africa, the United States and Turkey. It is striking how little concern for domestic social and political division is expressed in China and Japan, as well as in Canada, … “Insight of the Week: Seriousness of Social and Political Division in my Country”
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Amidst the uncertainty of the world during a global pandemic, two key pieces of 2020 research offered hope and optimism about what purpose-driven brands can achieve in 2021 — buoyed by new attitudes, opinions, and desires from consumers. In a year like no other in recent memory , 2020 inspired and informed countless consumer research studies — the findings are largely shaped by what was top-of-mind for individuals during the COVID-19 crisis. Did sustainability concerns make the list? Explore this new interview, … “Complementary Studies Provide Glimpses into Consumers’ Minds During Most Difficult Year in Modern History”
Have Been Inspired by Online Influencer or Celebrity to Live a Sustainable Lifestyle By Generation, Average of 27 Markets, 2020 Younger people look to influencers for inspiration to be environmentally friendly. Those belonging to younger generations are much more likely than older generations to say that they are frequently inspired by online influencers or celebrities promoting more sustainable lifestyles. On average across 27 markets surveyed in GlobeScan’s Healthy & Sustainable Living study, almost three-quarters (72%) of Gen Z respondents … “Insight of the Week: Have Been Inspired by Online Influencer or Celebrity to Live a Sustainable Lifestyle”
Most Important Priorities for Corporate Affairs Professionals 2020 Building trust and protecting reputation is a key priority. Crafting and/or delivering on a sustainability strategy through effective stakeholder engagement in order to protect reputation and build trust with stakeholders are three of the top four priorities of Corporate Affairs professionals. Being transparent about reporting on ESG goals completes the top four priorities. Although listed as individual priorities, all four revolve around trust building with stakeholders. Notes: Question wording: Could you name … “Insight of the Week: Most Important Priorities for Corporate Affairs Professionals”
Consumer Purchasing Behaviors: EU* vs USA “Extremely” and “Very Interested,” 2020 European and American consumers differ in their interest in sustainable shopping behavior. Europeans are more interested than Americans in some key sustainable consumption behaviors, including being keener on prioritizing durability, recycled materials, responsible brands, and third-party certification. Differences are largest in terms of third-party certifications, with fewer than half of US consumers expressing interest compared to nearly six in ten European consumers. Notes: * Includes: France, Germany, Italy, Spain, … “Insight of the Week: Consumer Purchasing Behaviors: EU vs USA”
Priority for Post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery Global Public Opinion, 2020 There is strong public support to build back better in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Majorities in 16 out of 27 markets surveyed say they would prefer to see a restructuring of the economy that addresses challenges like climate change and inequality, rather than simply getting the economy back to normal as soon as possible. Younger generations and those with higher education are more supportive of building back better, as … “Insight of the Week: Priority for Post-COVID-19 Economic Recovery”
Consultation, engagement and collaboration are the backbone of many of the approaches seeking to tackle today’s most entrenched sustainability issues. Consulting stakeholders and encouraging them to represent their interests and expertise can give us a broader and more meaningful perspective, increasing our understanding of issues within a sector, and building consensus to define good practice. However, poor quality engagement leads to a sense of ‘consultation-fatigue’, and risks disenfranchising the very same groups it seeks to involve. The decision-making processes that … “Webinar | From Consultation To Collaboration: Stakeholder Engagement That Drives Systemic Change”
New global study finds the next generation of citizens is looking for transformative brand leadership, co-created solutions, and radical change for the future they want December 4, 2020 – A health pandemic. Economic crisis. Racial justice uprising. Existential environmental threats. Like never before, a new generation is facing the confluence of profound global crises and calling for transformative brand leadership, co-created solutions, and radical change to meet an era of shifting paradigms, not just shifting preferences. According to a new … “Radically Better Future: The Next Gen Reckoning | Report”
Key Messages Three-quarters of European consumers (76%) agree that we need to consume less to preserve the environment for future generations and most say that they would like to spend more time with family and friends (78%) or to spend more time in nature (74%) – activities that do not necessarily involve material consumption For our consumption patterns to stay within planetary boundaries, each European would have to reduce by 80% the amount of natural resources they currently use for … “Report: Our Material Consumption is Soaring, but Earth Cannot Afford Black Friday”
New GlobeScan research found that 77% of consumers are interested in choosing products that last longer, and 53% said they were interested in buying fewer things, in general. But there remains a gap between intention and action. “… the propensity to buy less stuff — or at least thinking more carefully before making purchases — could be here to stay. That is certainly what GlobeScan’s 2020 Healthy & Sustainable Living Study suggests. Carried out in June 2020, the survey looked … “Is Black Friday Dying? Consumers Say They Want to Spend Less This Holiday Season”
Every two years, the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and GlobeScan conduct one of the largest seafood consumer surveys in the world, engaging over 20,000 consumers in 23 markets. This year’s results show high levels of concern for our oceans are driving a new wave of consumer activism, as conscious food consumers increasingly ‘vote with their forks’ to safeguard our oceans. We recently hosted three webinars across global time zones (see details below) between 10-12 November 2020. In these sessions, we … “Webinar | The Rise of the Conscious Food Consumer: COVID, Climate and Conservation”
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COVID-19 has had a huge impact on the travel and tourism industry, with estimates ranging from 60% to 80% decline in international tourism for 2020, but the sector is preparing for a resumption of travel once the threat of the pandemic has subsided. In order to ensure that the renewal of international travel is a green recovery that doesn’t lead to an undoing of conservation gains made with travellers over the last few years, it is important to understand the … “Webinar | Ivory Consumption Among Chinese Travelers: Preparing for Post-COVID Tourism”
On 23 November 2020 we hosted a webinar to discuss the growing popularity of plant-based products and the fast growing marketing introductions of plant-based meat and beverages. We drew from our global and Asia Pacific research conducted during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic showing that consumers around the world are willing to change their behavior to become healthier and more sustainable. The webinar explored GlobeScan’s Healthy & Sustainable Living study, which was designed and launched with a range of partners … “Webinar | Going Mainstream: Alternative Meat and Plant Based Drinks”
As we continue to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic and its devastating social and economic effects, companies are continuing their efforts to become more sustainable — and some are being recognized for their efforts. The 2020 Sustainability Leaders, a GlobeScan / SustainAbility survey of experts worldwide, reveals which companies are perceived to be leaders on sustainability during this challenging time by sustainability professionals representing business, government, NGOs and academia. Over 700 experts were surveyed online across 71 countries in May. Results … “Corporate Sustainability Leadership During a Pandemic”
The 2020 Healthy & Sustainable Living study was designed and launched with a range of partners including CVS Health, IKEA, PepsiCo, Visa, and WWF International to help organizations better understand the mindsets of global consumers and what enables them or prevents them from living in a healthier and more sustainable way. The 27-market study was conducted in June 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In total, 27,000 people took part in the global study that asked them about attitudes, … “Webinars | Healthy & Sustainable Living in a Global Pandemic”