WHY ESG MATTERS TO AMERICANS
At its core, ESG is shorthand for business decisions that
E
S
G
Are beneficial to the Environment,
Improve Society and address Social inequality, and
Foster a transparent, ethical way of Governing your business
E
Are beneficial to the Environment,
S
Improve Society and address Social inequality, and
G
Foster a transparent, ethical way of Governing your business
While the public may think of sustainability as only tying into the environment, sustainability for businesses is actually about leveraging all of the parts: The E, S, and the G. Sustainability as a concept is pervasive across business, as it helps drive longevity, the welfare of people it serves, and the health of the earth
that consumers live on. While ESG has become a political football in the culture wars, the truth is that Americans broadly care about the issues that ESG practices aim to solve – perhaps slightly less than the world on average, but still in the same ballpark.
Almost three in four Americans (71%) say we’re heading for environmental disaster unless we change our habits quickly, according to the 2024 Ipsos Global Trends survey; 80% said the same on average across all 50 countries surveyed.
And more than half of Americans (54%) believe it’s their personal responsibility to act now on climate change, or they’ll be failing future generations, according to Ipsos Earth Day poll; 63% said the same across all 33 countries surveyed.
What about diversity in America? Despite high-profile attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, two-thirds of Americans (69%) say they support policies to hire underrepresented people and to promote equity in the workplace, according to a Washington Post/Ipsos survey from April 2024.
If businesses in my country don’t act now to combat climate change, they will be failing their employees and customers
of people in 33 countries around the world
of people in the U.S.
Source: Ipsos Earth Day Poll 2024, a survey of 24,290 people in 33 countries fielded Jan. 26-Feb. 9, 2024
But beyond caring about sustainable practices in diversity, people in the U.S. and around the world believe that businesses have major role to play in fixing our planet: Three in five people in 33 countries around the world say that if businesses in their country don’t act now to combat climate change, they will be failing their employees and customers, according to the 2024 Earth Day poll.
And, whether it’s true or not for every brand, your customers believe that you can do this and still make money: Four in five people in the U.S. (84%) and around the world (82%) say they believe brands can do good and also make money, according to the 2024 Ipsos Global Trends survey.
“At the core of the DEI backlash is corporate fear of losing favor with policymakers and investors. However, what organizations miss in prematurely reducing or eliminating DEI efforts: The outsized influence of many underrecognized and underrepresented groups and the financial risk of excluding them which can reduce competitive advantages, threaten innovation and hamper productivity.”
This shows that your business needs to care – both by making changes to what you’re doing, and by actively showing consumers changes that are making a difference.
