2015 g&s sense sustainability study_final

2015 G&S Business Communications

Public Perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibi l ity and Environmental Stewardship

SENSE & SUSTAINABILITY® STUDY

Table of Contents

Background and Objectives 4

Executive Summary 6

Detailed Findings 10

Methodology 19

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

2015 SENSE & SUSTAINABILITY® STUDY 4

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

• G&S Business Communications (G&S) is a firm with expertise in sustainability and corporate social responsibility, business consulting and employee engagement for the advanced manufacturing, agribusiness and food, clean technology and energy, consumer, financial and professional services, and home and building industries.

• G&S commissioned the sixth annual G&S Sense & Sustainability® study conducted online in

April 2015 by Harris Poll among 2,055 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. • The research focuses on public perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and

environmental stewardship, along with consumer opinions on business reputations, specifically:

› Businesses’ commitment to sustainability, with breakouts by industry; › Interest in learning about companies’ environmental and social responsibility initiatives; › Media sources for information about companies’ environmental and social responsibility

initiatives; › Impact of environmental and social causes on brand choices; › Familiarity with business practices related to environmental and social responsibility; and, › Confidence in knowledge of basic scientific concepts.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Nearly 40 percent of Americans question their practical understanding of science.

› Although 61 percent believe they have a good working knowledge of scientific concepts, nearly 2 in 5 (39 percent) feel they do not have a solid comprehension.

• Two in five U.S. adults do not feel well informed about the ways businesses can practice sustainability.

› Among Americans, 40 percent say they have an insufficient grasp of how companies can

practice sustainability concerning the well-being of the planet, people and communities.

• A growing number of Americans are choosing to stay uninformed about the sustainability efforts of businesses.

› One-quarter of U.S. adults (25 percent) do not rely on any sources to learn about business

efforts to promote corporate social and environmental responsibility, an increase from 20 percent last year.

› Year-over-year findings also show that advertisements (27 percent in 2015 vs. 37 percent in 2014) and corporate websites (14 percent in 2015 vs. 20 percent in 2014) have sharply fallen out of favor as sources for information about business initiatives related to CSR or sustainability.

› In contrast, in the past two years the news media (54 percent in 2015 vs. 57 percent in 2014) and word-of-mouth among trusted personal contacts (40 percent in 2015 vs. 41 percent in 2014) hold steady as the top two sources of CSR and green business information.


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Human rights and wildlife protection are among the top environmental and social issues that significantly influence consumers’ brand choices.

› In making decisions about which brands to support, at least one-third of Americans identify

human rights (41 percent) and wildlife protection (33 percent) as “very influential” social and environmental issues as compared to deforestation (25 percent), climate change (24 percent), fair trade (21 percent) and carbon footprint (19 percent).

• Agriculture, energy, and food and beverage industries lead with positive reputations for sustainability while manufacturing, leisure services and transportation lag.

› Among the industries measured, Americans rank agriculture (47 percent), energy (40

percent), and food and beverage (36 percent) in the top three with the best reputations for environmental and social responsibility.

› In comparison, the industries that trail among those measured for best sustainability reputations are: Transportation, which includes vehicle manufacturers, airlines, rail, infrastructure and logistics (19 percent); leisure services, which include hotels, cruise lines, casinos and restaurants (17 percent); and manufacturing (14 percent).


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Companies can take specific actions to improve their CSR reputations.

› More than two-thirds of Americans say businesses can contribute to their positive reputations for sustainability by conserving natural resources (72 percent) or supporting environmental or social causes (66 percent).

› In contrast, having a celebrity spokesperson (8 percent) is less likely to have a positive effect on corporate reputations for sustainability.

• Americans say the general public bears considerable responsibility for the well-being of people, communities and the environment throughout the process of supplying goods and services.

› Significant social and environmental responsibility is assigned to the general public by the

majority of U.S. adults (55 percent), as compared to other groups that impact the supply chain, including the supplier (45 percent), brand (37 percent) and retailer (30 percent).

DETAILED FINDINGS


News media(e.g., newspapers, magazines,

television, radio, Web)

Word-of-mouth(i.e., discussions with family and trusted acquaintances)

Advertisements(e.g., broadcast, print,

Web, outdoor)

Multiple responses permitted.2014 Base: Total Adults (N=2,039). 2015 Base: Total Adults (N=2,055)

NoneOther

6%

14%

20% 20%

27%27%

40%41%

54%57%

37%

32%

15%16%

25%

7%

Sustainability or social

responsibility reports

Corporate websiteSocial media and blogs

(e.g., Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, independent blogs)

20152014

MEDIA SOURCES FOR GREEN NEWS

Which of the following sources, if any, do you rely on for information about business efforts to promote sustainability – meaning “going green” or social responsibility?


Environmental or social policies

promoted by non-governmental

organizations (e.g., Habitat for Humanity, Teach for America, World

Wildlife Fund)

Publication of scientific data

or research

Awards or public recognition

Philanthropy or volunteerism

Multiple responses permitted.2015 Base: Total Adults (N=2,055)

NoneOther

47%

35%33% 32%

30%28% 27%

15%

5%

Acknowledgement of need to improve

performance

Political advocacy

Sharing relatable news (e.g., human interest

stories)

BUSINESS ACTIVITIES AND CORPORATE COMMITMENT

What types of business activities, if any, help you understand a company’s commitment to environmental or social responsibility?


Businesses are likely to address environmental

or social issues only when there is a related

economic impact

Businesses that are committed to environmental or

social responsibility have good reputations

I have a good working knowledge of core scientific concepts

I feel well-informed about the ways that businesses

can practice sustainability – meaning “going green” or

social responsibility

Businesses are likely to address environmental or social issues because it is

the right thing to do

I feel confident about my understanding of

the ways that businesses can contribute positively

to society (e.g., jobs, philanthropy,

technological innovation).

2015 Base: Total Adults (N=2,055)

81% 81%

71%61% 60%

49%

19% 19%

29%

39% 40%

51%

ATTITUDES TOWARD CSR AND CONFIDENCE IN KNOWLEDGE

Please indicate how much you agree or disagree with each of the following statements.

Stro

ngly

/Som

ewha

t A

gree

(N

ET)

Stro

ngly

/Som

ewha

t D

isag

ree

(NET

)


Offering affordable goods or services

Creating local jobs

Supporting environmental

or social causes

Conserving natural

resources

Multiple responses permitted.2015 Base: Total Adults (N=2,055)

NoneOther

72%

66% 65%62% 61%

50%

19%

10%8%4%

Having visible/popular brand(s)

Having a celebrity

spokesperson

Supporting the community (e.g., scholarships,

educational programs)

Providing goods or

services that are certified

(e.g., ENERGY STAR, Fair Trade)

CONTRIBUTORS TO POSITIVE REPUTATIONS

Which of the following business attributes or activities, if any, contribute to a company’s positive reputation for sustainability – meaning environmental or social responsibility?


Human rights Wildlife protection Deforestation Carbon footprint Climate changeFair trade


Very influential Not very influentialSomewhat influential Not at all influential

40% 42% 48% 42% 43% 38%

41% 33% 21%25% 19% 24%

12% 17% 21% 22% 24% 22%7%

8%10% 10%

14% 15%

81%75%

69% 68%62% 62%

19%25%

31% 32%38% 38%

IMPACT ON BRAND CHOICES

How influential, if at all, are each of the following environmental or social issues on your decisions about which brands to support?

Very

/Som

ewha

t In

fluen

tial (

NET

)N

ot a

t al

l/N

ot v

ery

influ

entia

l (N

ET)


Financial and professional

services

EnergyAgriculture


Manufacturing

47%

40%

36%

28% 27% 26%24%

21%19%

17%14%

Health care and pharmaceuticals

Food and beverage

Consumer staples

(e.g., household and personal products)

Building and construction

(e.g., building products,

engineering)

Leisure services

(e.g., hotels, cruise lines, casinos, restaurants)

Transportation (e.g., vehicle

manufacturers, airlines, rail, infrastructure,

logistics)

Consumer durables (e.g., consumer

electronics, household furnishings and

appliances, housewares, apparel, textiles)

INDUSTRIES BY GREEN REPUTATIONS

Please rank each of the following industries according to their reputations for sustainability (i.e., environmental or social responsibility). Please rank from “1”, having the best reputation, to “11”, having the worst reputation. Even if you aren’t sure, please provide your best estimate.

Summary of Top 3 Best Reputation (How often industries were ranked 1, 2 or 3)


General public Non-governmental organizations or

“watchdog” groups

Government Religious groups


55%

50%48%

45%

37%35%

30%

Supplier (i.e., provides ingredients, parts or processes used in

goods or services offered for sale by brands)

Retailer (i.e., provides a location or platform where goods or

services are sold to consumers)

Brand (i.e., offers completed goods or services for sale to consumers)

SUPPLY CHAIN RESPONSIBILITY

Please rank each of the following groups according to their degree of responsibility for protecting the well-being of people, communities and the environment throughout the process of supplying goods and services. Please rank from “1” as being the most responsible to “7” as being the least responsible. Even if you aren’t sure, please provide your best estimate.

Summary of Top 3 Most Responsible (How often industries were ranked 1, 2 or 3)

2015 SENSE & SUSTAINABILITY® STUDY

“I have a good working knowledge of core scientific concepts.”Response: Summary of Strongly/Somewhat Disagree

TotalWomen: 47%

Men: 30%

Age 65+Women: 61%

Men: 37%

Age 55-64Women: 58%

Men: 28%

2015 Base: Total Adults (N=2,055); Females (N=1,157); Males (N=898); Females age 55-64 (N=177); Females age 65+ (N=233)

17

UNEASE WITH SCIENCE BY GENDER

More women than men believe their understanding of basic science is insufficient. Nearly half of female adults (47 percent) express a lack of confidence about their science comprehension, as compared to only 30 percent of their male counterparts. There is greater disparity among older generations of women and men.

2015 SENSE & SUSTAINABILITY® STUDY

Seniors: 26%(age 65+)

Older Boomers: 27%(age 55-64)

Older Gen Xers andYounger Boomers: 29%(age 45-54)

Younger Gen Xers: 27%(age 35-44)

Millennial Adults: 18%(age 18-34)

2015 Base: Total Adults (N=2,055); Adults age 18-34 (N=509); Adults age 35-44 (N=259); Adults age 45-54 (N=417); Adults age 55-65 (N=408); Adults age 65+ (N=462)

18

Which of the following sources, if any, do you rely on for information about business efforts to promote sustainability – meaning “going green” or social responsibility?

Response: None

LACK OF INTEREST IN CSR BY GENERATION

More older Americans than their millennial counterparts do not rely on any sources for CSR information. Among Americans who do not use any sources to learn about the sustainability efforts of businesses, fewer than 2 out of 10 are Millennials. In contrast, older generations each have at least one-quarter among their respective groups who claim they do not depend on any sources.


METHODOLOGY

• All data collection was conducted online by Harris Poll on behalf of G&S. • A nationally representative sample of 2,055 U.S. adults ages 18 and older was interviewed

using the QuickQuerySM online omnibus product, with the Harris Poll Online panel as the sampling frame.

• Data collection for the 2015 study was conducted between April 14 and 16, 2015. • Final data are weighted to be representative of the U.S. adult population based on: region,

age within gender, education, household income, race/ethnicity, and propensity to be online.

2015 G&S Business Communications

SENSE & SUSTAINABILITY® STUDY

Public Perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibi l ity and Environmental Stewardship

For more information:G&S Business Communicationswww.gscommunications.com Ron LochSenior Vice President and Managing Director, Sustainability Consulting Practice(312) 648-6700 or [email protected] Mary C. BuhaySenior Vice President, Marketing(212) 697-2600 or [email protected]

2015 g&s sense sustainability study_final

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