Behavior Change at Scale
The Covid-19 pandemic has been a significant shift for so many of us. Our workplaces shifted from offices to our living rooms. Our interactions shifted from personal to digital. Our travels have shifted to staycations. All of this collective behavior change has yielded an 8.8% drop in global CO2 emissions in the first half of 2020 compared to the first half of 2019. Experts agree that this drop in emissions is temporary in nature and that emissions will rebound as the economy recovers without broader consumer commitment. Encouragingly, we’re starting to see evidence that consumer outlook and values are shifting.
In a recent BCG survey, 90% of consumers responded that they were equally or more concerned about environmental sustainability after the COVID-19 pandemic, and almost 95% of consumers believe that their personal actions could help reduce waste, tackle climate change and protect wildlife and biodiversity. Between a quarter and a third of consumers noted that their belief that their actions have a direct impact on environmental sustainability has strengthened during the pandemic. As a result, consumers have started voting with their wallets. Consumer pressure on environmental sustainability has already yielded meaningful results. Large CPG companies including P&G, Mondelez and Nestle have doubled down on commitments to make all packaging recyclable or reusable within the next decade, Walmart committed to reducing emissions to zero across its global operations by 2040, and Apple announced that by 2030 every device sold will have net neutral impact on climate.
It's often hard to see the results of our individual actions as it relates to moving to environmental sustainability. 2020 has shown us that consistent and collective action by consumers can create ripple effects and cause corporations and governments to move. As the great Margaret Mead once said “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”