New Data on Impact of Corporate ESG Initiatives on Consumer Behavior

Ongoing market research study sheds light on consumer priorities, feelings and behaviors surrounding critical environmental, social and governance issues

AMC Global and OpinionRoute have released the latest wave of their ongoing consumer behavior study. The new findings uncover how corporate “Environmental, Social and Governance” (ESG) matters impact consumer behavior in the marketplace. The ESG issues examined in the study range from environmental issues, to company ethics and structure, to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Study participants initially indicated that they felt the environment was the most important of the three ESG areas. However, the final results show that the majority cite the governance issues of “protecting personal data/privacy policies” as having the topmost importance, as well as protecting human rights and labor standards. 

Consumers are also looking for products that are made in America with local sourcing, a category that spans all aspects of the ESG matrix. The study found that more than half of consumers are likely to be influenced by brand/product behaviors that align (or don’t align) with their personal beliefs.

You can access the graphical representation of the study “ESG Issues Impact on Purchase” here or by clicking the callout below.

Key findings from the latest study:

• Thirty-seven percent of respondents indicate corporate environmental standards are most important to them, followed closely by social (32%) and trailed by governance (17%).
  
  
• Consumers cite the top environmental issue (63%) as “Making changes in processes to preserve air and water quality,” the top social issue (73%) as “Protecting human rights,” and the top governance issue (75%) as “Protecting personal data with strong policies.”

• “Products that are made in America/uses local sourcing of materials” was an important issue to 63% of study respondents.

• Sixty percent of respondents would “choose a product or service that supports issues that align with my personal values even if their costs were higher.”

A complete representation of the “ESG Issues Impact on Purchase” can be found here. Want to learn more about how market research can help with important decisions about corporate ESG efforts? Reach out to us.