THE BIODIVERSITY AWARENESS MAP
Biodiversity awareness has been measured in 16 countries around the world since 2009. A total of 59 000 consumers were surveyed.
BIODIVERSITY AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING
While consumers still struggle to define the term biodiversity correctly, a majority picks the right definition when several options are provided. A generation gap exists, and continues to widen in 2017, with young people being much more knowledgeable.
CONSUMERS EXPECTATIONS TOWARDS COMPANIES
Consumers expect companies to act
In 2016, the UEBT biodiversity barometer showed that brand reputation is most important when it comes to persuading consumers that companies respect people and biodiversity. This year’s survey completes this picture by showing that consumers strongly believe that companies have a moral obligation to generate positive impact on society, people and biodiversity (from 72% in the UK to 89% in Brazil). However, confidence that companies pay serious attention to ethical sourcing remains low (from 17% in France to 54% in Brazil).
Street videos on companies' moral obligation to generate positive impact
Question: Do you think companies have a moral obligations to assure they have a positive impact on society, people and biodiversity?
Street videos on consumers' confidence towards companies
Question: Are you confident that companies pay serious attention to local biodiversity when they purchase raw materials for theirs products?
Concrete actions and sincerity convince consumers
Authenticity and sincerity are key to convince consumers about companies’ ethical sourcing credentials. Story-telling of people and biodiversity needs to be backed up by a wider company engagement. Consumers needs to perceive a brand’s commitment, and gain insight in local involvement.
UEBT’s 2017 survey shows that active contribution to biodiversity conservation (protection of local plants, such as wild flowers, or animals like bees) convinces people most that a brand respects people and biodiversity. An average of 75% of respondents ranked this first.
External validation of commitments and efforts is the second most convincing factor, closely followed by detailed information on the origins of natural ingredients. These two have been consistently mentioned by consumers since UEBT started the survey in 2009.
Positive impact through purchase decisions
Most consumers (72%) in the survey believe that they can positively impact society by buying products from companies that respect biodiversity and people. 73% feels good when buying such a product; this most notable in Brazil (88%), followed by the USA and France (75%).
Brand commitments and concrete actions to respect biodiversity and people can influence purchase decisions: 72% of respondents agreed in 2016 that they were more interested in buying products from companies that pay attention to biodiversity.
Street videos on consumers' 'feel good factor'
Question: How would it make you feel to buy products that respect biodiversity and the environment?
Street videos on consumers' positive impact
Question: Do you think you as a consumer can have a positive impact on society buy buying products from companies that respect biodiversity and people?