Consumers Say Green Products Don’t Define a Firm’s Sustainability

July 14, 2009

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A slight majority of consumers think a company can be environmentally responsible without making green products, according to research from the Natural Marketing Institute.

Companies have two broad approaches to the sustainability marketplace: creating an environmentally-friendly or socially-responsible product, or taking some other sort of corporate action. Such corporate actions can include building a green office/facility, using renewable power or donating time or money to causes.

Not surprisingly, LOHAS consumers, the opinion leaders in the sustainability space, set the bar much higher, with half believing a company that does not produce some variation of a green product cannot truly be considered environmentally-friendly. Since LOHAS consumers predict how mainstream consumer opinion will shift in the future, companies claiming to be environmentally-friendly must consider greening their product mix to avoid diminished consumer trust as the green market evolves, according to the 2008 LOHAS Consumer Trends Database.

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Reader Comments

I think the first step for a company to become environmentally-friendly involves changing their business practices. From there, they can then work on developing green products. It does take time for companies to transition into a truly eco-friendly pattern of behavior. While it may not happen tomorrow, companies should still receive credit for working towards more eco-friendly products.

Renew The World | July 14th, 2009

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