Some two thirds of US citizens, across all political affiliations, want to see businesses continue their sustainability efforts regardless of the political climate, new research from 3BL has found.
The report, Say Less, Risk More: Sustainability Silence Is Undermining Trust, examines the level to which US businesses are navigating sustainability communications, in the face of political pressure, regulatory uncertainty, and heightened public scrutiny.
As it noted, close to a quarter of US consumers ‘don’t trust’ what companies say about sustainability.
The rise of greenhushing
In addition, greenhushing – where firms scale back communications about environmental and social commitments – is also reshaping consumer trust and brand perception, the report found, with mentions of top US companies tied to sustainability dropping nearly 10%.
‘From shifting consumer expectations to declining trust and lost market opportunities, this report reveals why going silent might be more damaging than speaking up,’ 3BL noted.
DEI commitment
Other insights from the report include that 80% of consumers said that they prefer to shop with brands that are committed to DEI initiatives, while close to one in four say that they ‘rarely’ or ‘almost never’ believe corporate sustainability claims, up from 15% just 18 months ago.
According to many consumers, business only commit to sustainability when it’s either ‘profitable’ or ‘trendy’ to do so, the report noted.
Elsewhere, when asked about the role of business in sustainability, only 8% of consumers said they expect companies to step back from their commitments.
‘In today’s climate of political pressure, regulatory uncertainty, and heightened public scrutiny, many companies are pulling back on how they talk about sustainability and DEI,’ 3BL added. ‘The impulse to stay quiet may seem like the safest route, but what’s the real cost of saying less?’ Read more here.
Read more: Current US position on sustainable transition is ‘nothing short of a tragedy’, says Al Gore
