2Sustain

Results of a new study confirm findings I reported to you last summer: There’s a disconnect between a brand’s actual sustainability performance and consumers’ perceptions of its sustainability performance.

The new research –conducted by Change, a Vancouver consultancy focusing on green brand innovation, Angus Reid Public Opinion and the nonprofit Climate Counts –is reported in MapChange 2010, a brand investigation of nearly 100 top North American  companies, spanning 10 product and service sectors. (Note: Change is being acquired by Maddock Douglas, a Chicago innovation agency.)

Here’s an example of the kind of disconnect I’m talking about. In the report, commercial shippers UPS and DHL score about equally well in green performance, based on Climate Counts criteria. However, when it comes to consumer perception of the two brands, UPS is the clear winner, scoring almost five times higher than DHL.

Across every sector, MapChange 2010 shows a disparity between actual sustainability activity of brands and consumer perception of the sustainable activity of those brands.

In the banking sector, for instance, Wells Fargo received the top score in consumer perception (66 out of 100). But, its actual sustainability score was less than half of that (27).

By contrast, Deutsche Bank, which consumers viewed as the least green (37), was among the top three in actual performance (66).

There are a few rare exceptions in the report where sustainability performance and perception are aligned.  For example, Starbucks’ perceived and actual scores are nearly identical.

Clearly, organizations need to better communicate their sustainability efforts and achievements with consumers –particularly because many consumers say they would rather make purchases from companies that make sustainability a priority.

“This study is a wake-up call for companies that don’t yet see green as a potent opportunity for new profits,” says Rafael Viton, president and partner of Maddock Douglas. “The real leaders are using green as a platform for developing products, services and business models that drive both their bottom line and positive global change.”