Do you think recycling is the best thing you can do for the environment? Probably not. But the majority of people we poll do think that — because that's the message companies have pushed for decades. It's rewarding for sustainability communicators to know messaging works. But in this case, it's a problem for consumer goods makers. The promise made via messaging is, "Don't feel bad about all the stuff you buy — just recycle it!" People had bought into that promise...

Sustainability is now mainstream and it’s affecting purchase behavior. Every year we ask Americans if they’ve ever intentionally purchased or not purchased a product or service based on the social or environmental record of the manufacturer. We then ask everyone who says “yes” to name the brand. Those who say “yes” and can give an example of a brand unaided? We call them shoptivists. But who are these “shoptivists?” Our latest report answers this question with three distinct consumer profiles,...

Americans are putting their wallets where their values are. They buy brands (or those brands’ competitors) based not just on corporate behavior, but on how that behavior is perceived.   Everyone has a voice today, and the court of public opinion never rests. Just as your good deeds are a great way to earn consumers’ loyalty, your missteps can lose their favor even faster.   So how do you protect your bottom line and safeguard your reputation, all while making...