Britons back sustainability and green energy, reveals survey

Nature and the environment is especially important to the British public, according to a new survey.

Nearly a third of the British public consider themselves to be very environmentally friendly, according to a recent survey commissioned by Nationwide Building Society.

It seems that nature and the environment is becoming increasingly important to residents of the UK, especially since almost two-thirds of respondents said they were willing to pay more for environmentally sustainable products.

The survey revealed that nearly half of those surveyed believe their carbon footprint had shrunk over the past decade. Furthermore, 62 per cent of respondents said they would be happy to spend an extra ten per cent if the money went to supporting the environment.

Jobseekers are thinking about the environment too, as the research highlighted that 44 per cent of potential candidates place significant importance on the environmental credentials of a company.

Nationwide’s survey was conducted to coincide with the building society’s plans to create new woodlands across the UK by planting over 17,000 trees over the next 18 months. It seems that the company will also plant an additional 3,000 trees per year afterwards, which will be a tree for every current and future employee, Nationwide said.

“The creation of woodlands across the country not only delivers an environmental benefit but also provides areas for our members, employees and communities to enjoy for generations to come,” said Graham Beale, chief executive of Nationwide Building Society.

“In fact our research has shown that 40 per cent of people think that woodland would make their local area a better place to live.” 

Nature is not only becoming increasingly important to the public, but also to large corporations that are under ever closer scrutiny. Many businesses these days are attempting to build a strong environmental reputation by investing in nature or renewable energy - much like Citi’s promise of $100 billion to battle climate change.

Investing in the environment is fast becoming a key business strategy.

Click here to read the full report from Nationwide.