Consumers crave sustainability. Is your brand delivering?

Today, environmental sustainability is firmly rooted in the frontal lobes of the modern consumer. Not so surprising, given we are constantly served images and messaging that paint a dire picture of our planet, and that we, as humans, are the problem.

This creates varying degrees of “eco-anxiety” and responsibility in the consumer mind. One of the simplest ways consumers quell that anxiety is by voting with their pocketbooks and making purchases from brands that support a sustainable future.

For most consumers, this means consciously seeking out and buying products that align with their values, like a commitment to reducing waste, recycling, sourcing eco-friendly materials, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and other sustainability practices. Consumers care about your brand’s sustainability efforts.

Consumer Statistics About Sustainability

Do consumers make consumption decisions based on a company’s sustainability practices? This data shows that’s exactly what’s happening:

• Nine in 10 consumers believe it’s important for businesses to act in a socially and environmentally responsible way.
• Close to two-thirds of U.S. adults are concerned about global warming, with 43% worrying about it “a great deal” and 22% “a fair amount.”
• There has been a 71% rise in online searches for sustainable goods globally, over the past five years.
• 66% of all respondents and 75% of millennial respondents say that they consider sustainability when they make a purchase.
• 88% of consumers say that they check the sustainability of a product before at least some purchases.
• 72% of respondents reported that they were actively buying more environmentally friendly products than they did five years ago, while 81% said they expected to buy even more over the next five years.
• 90% of Gen Z consumers surveyed have bought a sustainable product in the past six months.
• 70% said they would change their shopping habits if they discovered that a store or brand wasn’t operating sustainably.

Corporations are recognizing that sustainably produced products are becoming an expectation for consumers. In fact, nine in 10 business leaders surveyed said consumers would hold them accountable for the environmental impact they make through their business. And 83% of C-suite executives and investment professionals believe that ESG programs will generate more shareholder value in five years’ time than they do today.

As a result, companies are undertaking initiatives large and small, changing their policies and actions to demonstrate their commitment to the shared value of a sustainable world. The belief is that companies that make a difference will stand out from the competition.

How Companies Are Investing in Sustainability

Companies are making significant investments in our collective future:

• More than 80% of companies surveyed planned to increase their investments in sustainability.
• 40% of company leaders surveyed expected their sustainability programs to generate profit in the next five years by attracting more environmentally conscious consumers.
• 96% of the world’s leading 250 companies currently report on sustainability.
• 80% of businesses have established internal environmental sustainability goals for energy evolution and efficiency.

Sharing your “sustainability story” with employees, customers, partners and investors is the key to unlocking the value of your sustainability actions.

MorganMyers has a motto when it comes to sustainability that we’ve been touting for a long time: “Do the right things and be seen doing the right things.” We take great pride in bringing our clients’ sustainability stories to life while increasing those stories’ visibility.

Consumer concerns for people and the planet are deeply emotional and this creates an incredible opportunity for brands to forge powerful and meaningful connections that drive brand preference, loyalty and sales.

Do Consumers Actually Care About Your Brand’s Sustainability Story?

In short, yes! Consumers have specific expectations when it comes to how your brand tells its sustainability story:

• 78% of those surveyed say that, despite their desire to support companies that align with their values, they don’t know how to identify environmentally friendly companies.
• 54% of consumers read about a brand’s sustainability initiatives.
• 63% of the public are looking for better communication from companies about the sustainability of their products and services.

Want to share these stats about consumer attitudes about sustainability with your team? Download our infographic.

At MorganMyers, we identify, capture, package and deliver meaningful, impactful sustainability stories to the right audiences to polish brand halos, bolster reputations, secure new customers, and attract top-level talent. We take a show-don’t-tell approach to sustainability communications. We believe in bringing progress to life and celebrating work done yesterday, today and for tomorrow.

We’re passionate about what we do, and we’d like to help you tell your brand’s story, too.

For more information about MorganMyers and Strategic Sustainability Storytelling please contact mhamrin@morganmyers.com.