Green issues: More work needed

The research, conducted amongst 1819 adults for the Carbon Trust by YouGov found that only 5% see businesses as being most effective in helping the environment, when compared to environmental pressure groups, academics and the government. By contrast, 22% of those surveyed see businesses as being the most effective in helping the economic recovery.

This suggests that even those companies which are communicating their actions to be more sustainable are not yet directly associated with taking responsibility for the environment.

However, the demand for green products appears to be increasing with only 6% of those surveyed saying they are less likely to buy a sustainable product and/or service than 5 years ago while 27% said they are more likely. Increased concern about the personal impact of what they buy on the environment was the most important reason for this (45%), and 43% of the public surveyed said they lead a more sustainable life than 5 years ago.