A recent global consumer survey from Nielsen shows that, on average, 55% of the respondents are ready to pay premium price for products and services from socially and environmentally responsible companies. This is a 5% increase since 2013, when a previous study of this kind was conducted.
Despite the general trend, the ratio between socially and environmentally conscious men and women differs, just as the type of causes they are more likely to support.
The Nielsen survey finds that men are more responsive to causes related to support of small business, education, technology and constructions, while women are more willing to support human-focused causes related to health, maternity and childhood, hunger and poverty, etc.
Overall, 53% of male and 52% of female respondents said that during a year they had bought at least one product from a company because they believed in its sustainability messages. At the same time, the study of 20 brands showed a 5% increase in sales for those companies who communicated commitment to sustainability in their campaigns.
Other non-material benefits for sustainable companies derive from the following additional findings from the study:
- over 50% male and female respondents actively donate to social causes and engage in volunteer work;
- 67% prefer to work for the companies that stand for sustainable and responsible products and services.
The study «Nielsen Global Survey of Corporate Social Responsibility» was conducted between February and March 2014, and surveyed 30,000 consumers from 60 countries.
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