by Shane Henson — April 17, 2013—Despite persistent skepticism among the general public about corporate America’s commitment to “going green,” the majority of employed adults are interested in learning what companies are doing in terms of sustainability and are strongly influenced at home and in their buying practices by initiatives taking place in the workplace, according to the fourth annual Gibbs & Soell Sense & Sustainability Study released this month by the independent business communications firm.
The results from the survey, in which 2,219 U.S. adults were polled, indicate that many businesses owners should do a better job of informing employees about their green initiatives, or consider implementing some if they currently don’t have sustainability programs in place. Per the study, many employed adults express uncertainty about their own company’s practices. Two-thirds (67%) of employees are not sure whether there is anyone at their company who is responsible for sustainability, or they say no one is responsible for sustainability at work. Nearly one-fifth (19%) of employees say their company does not promote sustainability at all. Of those whose company has made some sort of sustainability effort, 74% of employees wish it engaged in more sustainability business practices, including “going green” or social responsibility initiatives (68%).
The survey also found that there is a strong link between both green initiatives at work and behavior at home, and knowledge gained about a company’s sustainability efforts and intent to purchase from that company. Nearly three-quarters (73%) of employed U.S. adults who take part in environmental and social responsibility efforts at work are more likely to make sustainable choices at home as a result. And three-quarters (75%) say they would be more likely to buy a company’s products or services if they learned it was making a great effort to adopt environmentally conscious practices.
Interestingly, the general public continues to doubt corporate America’s commitment to sustainability, the survey found. Only 21% of U.S. adults believe that a majority of businesses (“most,” “almost all,” or “all”) are committed to “going green”—defined as “improving the health of the environment by implementing more sustainable business practices and/or offering environmentally friendly products or services.” However, despite their skepticism, most Americans (72%) and employed adults (74%) express interest in learning what companies are doing in terms of sustainable business initiatives and “going green.”
