Close to three quarters (73%) of U.S. consumers believe that their purchasing decisions can influence corporate behaviour on social and environmental issues, a new study by 3BL and research technology firm Glow has found.
The study, The Big Thing Americans Agree On, also found that 56% of Americans consider sustainability ‘important’ or ‘very important’ in their daily lives, with a strong emphasis on sustainability common to all age cohorts
Widespread awareness
It found that 65% of Gen Z and 64% of millennials take the lead in prioritising sustainability, although awareness is also strong among older generations, with just 5% of Gen X and Baby Boomers considering sustainability ‘completely unimportant’.
As the report notes, ‘This cross-generational agreement suggests that sustainability has become embedded in American cultural values rather than a youth-driven trend.’
Interestingly, political divisions have less impact on perceptions of sustainability as many might think, with Republican-leaning respondents actually showing a stronger inclination (91%) toward increasing their sustainability focus than Democrats (77%). Read more here.
People power
A separate recent study by 3BL found that more than a third (36%) of U.S. citizens believe that individuals – rather than businesses or the government – will be the biggest driver of positive change on environmental issues this year.
The study also found that around a third (35%) want businesses to play an even larger role in social impact, more than half of consumers (54%) are seeking expanded reusable/recyclable packaging options, while close to half (49%) prioritise local ecosystem protection. Read more here.
3BL, a sustainability and social impact communications partner, works with more than 1,500 companies to ‘elevate their reputations as players in the world of responsible business’.
