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If you want to be seen as more sustainable, you'd better behave like the utilities sector! That was the depressing message contained in new research from BT released today.
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Indeed, while the construction business goes hell for leather in grappling with an ever-widening array of Government targets, feedback suggests that consumers simply aren't buying it. The industry came in a poor fourth in the beauty contest when consumers were asked to point to one that had a good environmental and community record, behind the utilities, public and retail sectors.
Why? Dr David Santillo, an expert in, among other things, concrete, who works for Greenpeace Research Labs at the University of Exeter, gave such a full response to this question, that we thought we would publish it in full as it offers some interesting advice on how our industry can improve, or communicate better, its environmental record:
"I guess that some of the underlying reasons for the higher score for utilities over construction are:
- that they tend to provide more information on their environmental performance and developments, and have done so for longer
- that there is much more of an ongoing relationship between utilities and consumers than between the construction sector and the opportunities are far greater to get the message out and keep it up to date
- the construction sector is almost certainly starting from a lower reputation in terms of materials and energy use, environmental impacts and waste management, etc.
Also, I suspect that consumers see that they have a more direct involvement in the sustainability of the utilities sector given that they can make a direct difference to their utility bills by using services less wastefully. In other words, there is a clearer connection for people to see between utilities and the environment than probably exists for other sectors.
Beyond that, however, the more general message is that consumer confidence is companies acting on sustainability issues is low for ALL the sectors studied. If this is going to change, companies will need to look at both how they are working towards sustainability and how they are reporting on progress. More evidence to support claims will be important, as well as greater honesty about what issues are proving more difficult to resolve. Consumers are understandably suspicious when all they hear from companies is the good news, not the whole story.
Companies tend to underestimate the capacity of their consumers to understand and accept more complex and less rosy perspectives on their performance. Communications may be seen more as marketing/PR tools than as honest reporting of real progress, existing limitations and commitments for the future. I think that consumers would like to see far more in the way of companies from all sectors taking the initiative on sustainability before legislation catches up with them and they are forced to act. The problem is that there are so many examples in the past of companies only moving under threat of new laws that consumers are understandably (and rightly) sceptical.
One final point: there would be a real advantage in government taking a far more visible initiative in sustainable procurement of construction materials, sustainable design, etc. There are many efforts underway, but they tend not to be well integrated and publicised...again reporting the rough with the smooth."
I was interested to see the same research discussed by Computer Business Review, which gives an alternative - ie: IT-oriented - perspective on the findings. As I say on my own blog (http://www.extranetevolution.com/extranet_evolution/2008/01/it-paying-lip-s.html), I look forward to seeing if the government's response to its sustainable construction consultation will help change public opinion.
Posted by: Paul Wilkinson | 09 January 2008 at 12:54 PM