New study reveals gap between real and perceived sustainability in top North American brands

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) Vancouver - January 20, 2010 – A new study titled MapChange 2010 shows that major North American brands are still not hitting the consumer mark when it comes to sustainability. 

The study incorporates both actual measurements on climate change action being undertaken by over 90 companies across North America, and perception measurements of these companies’ actions by consumers. Companies include category leaders such as Coca-Cola, Groupe Danone, Nike, Gap, P&G, L’Oreal, Microsoft and Amazon.com.   The actual scoring on climate change action was provided by Climate Counts as part of their annual climate change study of well-known consumer companies. The perception measurements, meanwhile, were provided by Angus Reid Public Opinion, and include over 2,000 American adults in a random sample.   The companies were grouped by sector, and the results illustrated in ‘perception / reality’ maps. In total, 10 sectors were mapped.   Across every sector, MapChange showed a disparity between actual sustainability activity of brands, and consumer perception of sustainable activity of those brands.   As well, some entire sectors emerged as sustainability leaders and others as laggards.   Compared with the inaugural MapChange study in 2008 (which did not involve collaboration with Angus Reid Public Opinion and Climate Counts), brands generally had a higher perceived score among consumers, due to factors such as increased green brand communication, increasing consumer-facing ‘green’ products, and heightened media attention in sustainable brands.   The study is available at www.getmapchange.com. Interviews with Climate Counts, Angus Reid Public Opinion and Change for further insights are welcomed. Interested parties can leave inquire at info@changebiz.com    ABOUT CHANGE Change is an innovation brand agency specializing in green innovation. Clients include multinationals like Unilever, key regionals like TransLink, and innovation-driven companies like Powertech. With 'outside the jar' thinking and a simple, flexible process, Change helps companies incorporate brand innovations that provide competitive advantage, then helps communicate those brand innovations in a way consumers can understand, appreciate and reward. Change is structured like a hub - key strategists and creative thinkers at the core, and trusted specialists in research, analysis, design, social media and production in an 'on call' network. Change's work has won over 20 international design awards, and has been profiled in international journals, newspapers and books. The organization's founder, Marc Stoiber, is also an expert speaker on green brand innovation, with engagements that include the TED conference and Strategy's Cause and Effect Conference.   ABOUT CLIMATE COUNTS Climate Counts is a non-profit campaign that scores companies annu­ally on the basis of their voluntary action to reverse climate change. The Climate Counts Company Scorecard—launched in June 2007—helps people vote with their dollars by making climate-conscious purchasing and investing choices that put pressure on the world’s most well-known companies to take the issue of climate change seriously. Launched by organics pioneer Stonyfield Farm, Climate Counts believes everyday consumers can be the most important activists in the fight against global warming. Climate Counts has currently evaluated nearly 150 compa­nies—representing over 3000 brands—in sixteen major consumer sec­tors. Climate Counts’ work has appeared in many of the world’s leading media outlets, among them the New York Times, National Public Radio, The Economist, BBC World Service, the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, The Huffington Post, and the Harvard Business Review. The organization will launch an iPhone app and its Climate Counts Industry Innovators (I2) on-demand scoring program in early 2010.    ABOUT ANGUS REID PUBLIC OPINION Angus Reid Public Opinion is the public affairs practice of Vision Critical – a global research and technology company specializing in custom online panels, private communities, and innovative online methods. VisionCritical is a leader in the use of the Internet and rich media technologyto collect high-quality, in-depth insights for a wide array of clients.Dr. Angus Reid and the Angus Reid Strategies team are pioneers in online research methodologies, and have been conducting online surveys since 1995. Vision Critical is now one of the largest market research enter­prises in the world. In addition to its five offices in Canada—located in Vancouver, Calgary, Regina, Toronto, and Montreal—the firm also has offices in San Francisco, Chicago, New York, London, Paris and Sydney. Its team of specialists provides solutions across every type and sector of research, and currently serves over 200 international clients.