You Never Miss the Water Until the Well Runs Dry

As a Californian GlobeScanner, I have first-hand experience of our state’s concern about access to fresh water. My water district in Marin County is likely just days away from implementing mandatory water rationing, as it and other water districts throughout the state struggle to deal with a protracted and severe drought. California just experienced not only the driest year on record, but also the warmest winter on record, which has seriously affected the extent of the snowpack in the Sierra … “You Never Miss the Water Until the Well Runs Dry”

Life Is Better With Luci: How Solar Lanterns Help Keep Haitian Communities Safe and Healthy

More than 1.6 billion people around the world rely on kerosene lamps as a source of light. Kerosene is a toxic fuel oil that can irritate the skin and adversely affect the central nervous system, contributing to the nearly 2 million premature deaths caused by indoor pollution related illnesses. Kerosene fuel also adversely impacts the environment. A recent report shows that 7-9 percent of the kerosene used in lamps is converted into black carbon, a powerful climate change pollutant, and … “Life Is Better With Luci: How Solar Lanterns Help Keep Haitian Communities Safe and Healthy”

Redefining Sustainability in Asia: Back to Basics on Health and Safety

Originally published for K Magazine, GlobeScan CEO, Christophe Guibeleguiet, takes a look at how Asian consumer attitudes to business in society are changing and the need for companies to balance opportunity with responsibility. Divided into a 3-part blog series, our first post looked at trust, optimism, and extending corporate leadership in Asia, while a future post will look at the rise of ‘Aspirational’ consumers. This one focuses on health and safety issues. In the first part of this blog series, we looked … “Redefining Sustainability in Asia: Back to Basics on Health and Safety”

Mining industry faces a struggle to win public hearts and minds

Job losses at Anglo American Platinum and Rio Tinto, as well as the possible liquidation of UK Coal, are just three incidents from recent weeks that highlight the headwinds facing the mining industry, with commodity prices remaining depressed. GlobeScan’s polling shows that the industry faces similar challenges connecting with the general public. In most of the countries surveyed in our Radar global public attitudes tracking, majorities cannot name a single mining company they respect. To some degree this low public … “Mining industry faces a struggle to win public hearts and minds”

Will horsemeat scandal challenge Europeans’ relaxed attitude to food safety and quality?

The past few weeks have seen the food industry in Europe engulfed by a crisis with potentially far-reaching ramifications. A range of processed meals sold by a large number of prominent consumer brands have been found to contain horsemeat instead of beef. The unfolding scandal has exposed the complex multi-country supply chains involved in meat processing and the lack of transparency for the end consumer, and is raising concerns about what the pressure to keep down consumer prices means for … “Will horsemeat scandal challenge Europeans’ relaxed attitude to food safety and quality?”

Most people still at least “somewhat” happy with their body condition despite changing social norms—particularly in developing world

Body image is generally more positive in the developing world than in the West, according to GlobeScan’s latest global public opinion polling. A week after a major health charity warned that more than half of British women’s waists are too large, GlobeScan’s opinion polling shows that while most of those polled across 23 countries (77%) are at least somewhat happy with their body condition, Indonesians are most content (92% say they are happy), followed by Kenyans (91%), Ghanaians (87%), and … “Most people still at least “somewhat” happy with their body condition despite changing social norms—particularly in developing world”