Ron Loch, Principal and Managing Director,
Sustainability Consulting, Gibbs & Soell

Key Messages:

• The 2013 Gibbs & Soell Sense & Sustainability^® Study is the business communications firm’s fourth annual survey of U.S. adults, and it is also the first edition to poll employed adults about corporate commitment to environmental and social responsibility.
• Employees express a mutual relationship between sustainable activities at work and the choices they make at home, as well as a desire to see their company and others make choices that benefit the environment and society.
• Results show that only 21 percent of adults are confident about green business efforts, which matches last year’s findings.

Nearly three-quarters (73 percent) 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, according to the fourth annual Gibbs & Soell Sense & Sustainability^® Study released today. 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 “going green” (74 percent) and wish their own company or employer engaged in more sustainability business practices, including “going green” or social responsibility initiatives (68 percent).

Gibbs & Soell, a global business communications firm with expertise in sustainability consulting and employee engagement for the advanced manufacturing, agribusiness and food, financial services, and home and building markets, commissioned Harris Interactive^® to conduct the fourth edition of the Sense & Sustainability Study^®. Harris Interactive conducted the online poll between February 28 and March 4, 2013 among 2,219 U.S. adults, including 1,028 adults who are employed full-time and/or part-time.

“There is a lot of research around motivating consumers to make more sustainable purchases from the perspective of product marketing, so we decided to investigate the opportunity to influence them in the workplace,” said Ron Loch, principal and managing director, sustainability consulting, Gibbs & Soell. “We found that the ripple effect of engaging employees in sustainability activities means they are more likely to practice sustainability at home and encourage neighbors to do the same. However, too few employers seem to be taking advantage of this opportunity to create green consumers. Two-thirds of employees (67 percent) could not identify who at their workplace is responsible for sustainability, or said no one is responsible.”

Key findings include the following:

• Sustainability-engaged employees express a mutual relationship between sustainable activities at work and the choices they make at home. They also want to see their company and others more actively involved in sustainability initiatives. Nearly three-quarters of employees who take part in sustainability initiatives at work are more likely to make sustainable choices at home as a result (73 percent) and say they wish their employer engaged in more sustainable business practices (73 percent). 80 percent of sustainability-engaged employees report encouraging others to make sustainable choices – meaning “going green” or engaging in social responsibility initiatives.
• ŸMany employed adults reveal a gap in or express uncertainty about their own company’s practices. Two-thirds (67 percent) 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 percent) of employees say their company does not promote sustainability at all.
• ŸAmong employed adults, there is a strong link between knowledge gained about a company’s sustainability efforts and intent to purchase from that company. Three-quarters (75 percent) of employed adults 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.
• ŸThe general public continues to doubt corporate America’s commitment to sustainability. But, despite their skepticism, most U.S. adults and employees want to learn about green business initiatives. Only 21 percent 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, most Americans (72 percent) and employed adults (74 percent) express interest in learning what companies are doing in terms of sustainability and “going green.”

Gibbs & Soell has a long-established communications record in sustainability consulting, corporate social responsibility, and successfully launching and guiding the growth of green products, technologies and practices. The firm counsels a growing roster of clients to help them align sustainability to their corporate strategies, produce compelling sustainability reports, and engage key stakeholders, including employees, in constructive dialogue.

To obtain a summary of the Gibbs & Soell Sense & Sustainability Study, please visit the Gibbs & Soell website.

About Gibbs & Soell, Inc.

Gibbs & Soell, Inc. is an independent business communications firm with headquarters in New York and offices in Chicago, Raleigh, N.C., and Basel, Switzerland. The firm’s global network extends across nearly 40 countries through its PROI Worldwide partnership. Gibbs & Soell integrates business and communications strategies, using a full range of communications services, to build sustainable relationships for clients along the entire value chain. We inspire action that drives results. For more information, please visit www.gibbs-soell.com.

About the Gibbs & Soell Sense & Sustainability^® Study

The 2013 Gibbs & Soell Sense & Sustainability Study is the business communications firm’s fourth annual survey of U.S. adults about business efforts to improve the health of the environment through sustainable practices, products, or services. The survey was fielded on behalf of Gibbs & Soell by Harris Interactive^®, one of the world's leading custom market research firms, leveraging research, technology, and business acumen to transform relevant insight into actionable foresight. The study was conducted online within the United States between February 28 and March 4, 2013 via the QuickQuery online omnibus service among 2,219 U.S. adults ages 18+, of whom 1,028 are employed full-time and/or part-time. No estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables and subgroup sample sizes, please contact Mary C. Buhay or Darcie Borden.

Gibbs & Soell

Gibbs & Soell

Gibbs & Soell is an independent business communications firm that was founded in 1971. Headquartered in New York, Gibbs & Soell has offices in Chicago, Raleigh, N.C., and Zurich, Switzerland. The firm’s global network extends across nearly 40 countries through its Public Relations Organisation International partnership. Employing a blend of business and communications strategy, Gibbs & Soell is a trusted adviser to corporations, organizations and brands seeking to engage consumer and professional audiences along the entire value chain. Gibbs & Soell offers communications expertise in business consulting, consumer marketing, employee engagement and sustainability consulting for the advanced manufacturing, agribusiness and food, home and building, and professional services markets. The firm provides custom programs and solutions to enhance reputation, market products, engage employees, build brands and improve sales.

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