Nearly Two-thirds of Employees Say Employers Not Doing Enough to Address Climate Change and Sustainability: Deloitte Survey

A majority of people globally believe that their companies are not doing enough to address climate change and sustainability, and many are taking or considering climate change-related significant lifestyle changes in areas affecting consumption, living location and work choices, according to a new survey released by global professional services firm Deloitte.

For the report, Deloitte surveyed over 20,000 respondents across more than 20 countries, as part of a series of “ConsumerSignals Surveys” conducted by the firm since 2021, focused on people’s attitudes and behaviors related to climate change.

The survey found that climate change and sustainability issues remain top of mind for consumers worldwide, particularly as they appear to be directly impacting their lives, with well over half (56%) of respondents reporting that they have experienced at least one climate-linked extreme weather event within just the past six months. The rate of extreme weather events reported by respondents has increased across nearly all countries since the initial 2021 survey, with 91% reporting at least one event in Mexico, up 11 percentage points from 2021, 89% in Japan (up 21%), 89% in Korea (up 28%) and 69% in the U.S. (up 9%).

Additionally, 67% of respondents reported that they view climate change as an emergency, remaining relatively stable over the past few years after declining slightly from 72% in 2021.

As respondents increasingly report directly experiencing the impacts of climate change, the survey found that many are planning or taking actions to address or adapt to the issue, with 60% reporting that that have changed their personal activities and purchase behaviors to address climate change. Responses were fairly consistent across age groups, with younger (age 18-34) respondents slightly more likely to report climate-related behavior and purchasing changes, at 62%, compared with 59% in the age 35-54 group, and 58% of those 55 and older.

Notably, while the survey found a greater willingness for those who view climate change as an emergency to change their behaviors, at 72%, even among those who do not view it as an emergency, nearly a third also reported changing their personal activities and purchase behaviors to address climate change.

Focusing on purchase behaviors, the survey found that nearly half (47%) of respondents reported that they have bought a sustainable good within the past four weeks. Additionally, 37% reported that they paid more for a sustainable produced good or service than for an alternative, 19% waited longer to receive delivery, and 19% were willing to accept a lower quality product or service compared to an alternative.

The survey found that climate change may also affect people’s choices of where to live, particularly among younger respondents, with 20% of 18-34 year olds reporting that they have relocated or considered moving to reduce exposure to climate impacts, and another 25% saying that climate change would be a factor considered if they were to relocate.

Sustainability issues also impact workplace attitudes and choices, according to the survey, with 63% of respondents globally reporting that they do not think their employers are doing enough to address climate change and sustainability, up from around 55% in 2021. Notably, respondents willingness to change jobs appears to have declined, with 21% reporting that they have considered changing jobs to work for a more sustainable company, compared to 30% in 2021.

Click here to access the survey results.