Expectations of sustainability leaders in companies and other organizations are higher, and the remit broader, than ever.
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Corporate advocacy for sustainability is becoming an important dimension of being a sustainable company. This coincides with rising public expectations for companies to advocate for people and planet. Leading companies and global non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are increasingly working together on joint advocacy initiatives in the pursuit of achieving shared sustainability goals. On 22nd June 2023, GlobeScan and WWF hosted a webinar to explore how we can harness the power of joint advocacy to deliver positive impact. We shared insights on … “Webinar | The Future of Joint Corporate Advocacy for Sustainability”
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”
June 8, 2023: The latest research from GlobeScan and the SustainAbility Institute by ERM finds that sustainability leadership is increasingly being measured by the integration of sustainability into business strategy. For the first time, Patagonia has surpassed Unilever as the most recognized corporate leader in this space after transferring ownership of the company to a trust that seeks to address climate change and protect nature. As the largest and longest-running survey of its kind, The GlobeScan / SustainAbility Survey has … “Report: New Research Finds Sustainability Leadership is Increasingly Measured by the Integration of Sustainability Into Business Strategy”
It’s been well documented that most people these days have high awareness of and concerns about sustainability issues. Yet far fewer are actually reflecting those values in their purchasing behaviour. How can we bridge this so-called ‘aspiration-action gap’, especially in the current global financial situation? On 6 June 2023, GlobeScan and Fairtrade International hosted a webinar to explore consumers’ aspiration-action gap, the role of certifications in bridging this, and consumer expectations on which types of organisations are responsible for protecting … “Webinar | Helping Consumers Make More Sustainable Choices During Tough Economic Times”
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”
Consumers all over the world are staying loyal to Fairtrade as the most visible and trusted ethical label, according to new research findings released by GlobeScan and Fairtrade today. Close to three in five (56 percent) shoppers surveyed in 12 countries said they were willing to pay more for a Fairtrade product, despite the increased cost of living. While consumers are increasingly concerned about rising food prices, small-scale farmers also face skyrocketing fuel, transport and fertiliser costs, putting their livelihoods … “Consumer Support for Fairtrade Remains Strong Despite Global Cost of Living Crisis”
Joined by Tom Firth and Joanna Yarrow, Co-Founders of M&C Saatchi LIFE, who bring their parent organization’s successful history of marketing, branding, and advertising to the world of corporate sustainability.
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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”
And how brands can help break the disastrous cycle. The culture of unconscious consumption may finally be shifting. Conversations around sustainability have become mainstream, forcing retailers across categories to rethink their approaches to sustainability. The recent GlobeScan Healthy & Sustainable Living report finds there is strong interest in sustainable shopping, particularly among Gen Z consumers. When compared to baby boomers plus, Gen Z in the U.S. is significantly more interested in buying products secondhand (71% versus 34%), bringing their own … “Report: Inside Gen Z’s Conflicting Passions for Both Sustainability and Shopping”
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”
18th May 2023 – GlobeScan, the independent insights and advisory consultancy, is pleased to announce the opening of a new office in Singapore, expanding its global footprint to nine offices across all regions of the world and strengthening its presence in Asia. GlobeScan will bring its expertise and research-led approach to companies, NGOs, and governmental organizations located in Southeast Asia to help them better understand their stakeholders’ expectations, build trust, and support their leadership ambitions in sustainability, corporate affairs, and … “GlobeScan Announces Opening of New Office in Singapore”
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”
Chris, David, and Mark are joined by the co-founder of Forum for the Future, Jonathon Porritt, and its CEO, Dr. Sally Uren.
Businesses are under more pressure to shift faster on sustainability – from radical activism to ESG demands and public greenwashing accusations. Meanwhile NGOs, though publicly trusted, are under more pressure to demonstrate impact and engage effectively with governments whilst, too, navigating increasingly polarised environments. At this moment of change, a new form of Business–NGO relationship is emerging – less confrontational and increasingly effective for accelerating positive impact. On April 19, GlobeScan and SIGWATCH hosted a webinar to explore these shifts. … “Webinar | The Future of Business-NGO Collaboration”
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”
28th April 2023 – GlobeScan is pleased to announce the appointment of Andréa Álvares as a new independent Director to its Board. Andréa is a Regenerative Systems Developer and Independent Thinker. She has 30 years of professional experience, 27 of which in Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) companies including Natura, PepsiCo, and P&G. For the last six and a half years, Andréa was the Chief Brand, Innovation, and Sustainability Officer for Natura and led the company’s operations outside of Latin America. Before … “GlobeScan Announces the Appointment of Andréa Álvares to its Board of Directors”
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”
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In our annual survey of global Corporate Affairs professionals, GlobeScan partners with Oxford University’s Saïd Business School to understand global trends, priorities, challenges, and best practices in the arena of Corporate Affairs. We recently hosted a webinar to discuss the key findings from our 2023 survey, featuring special guest panellists from Syngenta, AB InBev, and Vodacom South Africa. Highlights of the Annual Survey:
Across 11 countries surveyed, the public sees environmental NGOs as the strongest performers when it comes to protecting nature and wildlife. Indigenous Peoples are also considered to be performing better than most other actors despite being held the least responsible. In contrast, large companies and governments are perceived to be doing the worst while also being seen as having the most responsibility for protecting nature. *“Very good” and “Good” minus “Poor” and “Very poor” **Includes Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, … “Insight of the Week: Environmental NGOs and Indigenous Peoples Are Seen as Strongest Performers on Protecting Nature”
Joined by Helle Bank Jørgensen, the CEO and Founder of Competent Boards, we dive into the topic of embedding sustainability in corporate boards and how to best engage board members on sustainability.
Experts say that engaging and collaborating with stakeholders continues to be the main driver for recognized NGO leadership in sustainable development. Innovation and knowledge as well as the scale and reach of initiatives are also seen by experts as important characteristics of NGO sustainability leadership, followed by engaging in activism and advocacy, good communication and reporting, and demonstrating tangible results. Source: GlobeScan/SustainAbility Survey of over 700 experts representing business, government, NGOs, and academia across 73 countries