New reports: green buying still on the rise

"Huge opportunity for smart companies "

The report Capturing the green advantage for consumer companies by Boston Consulting Group is based on a survey involving 9,000 consumers from 9 countries - Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, UK and the USA.

Most respondents included in the survey expressed willingness to pay a premium of 5% or more for green products. According to the report, "price is not a significant obstacle for most buyers.....in fact, it ranks much lower as a barrier to green purchasing than lack of awareness of green alternatives or a perceived lack of choice". The study also found that consumers ask for better assistance navigating through the market,.

The report concludes: "The continuing expansion of green consciousness around the world presents a huge opportunity for smart companies, and the business case for green remains compelling, especially in a tough market."

Study: Sustainability-focused companies outperform peers

Another report, Green Winners: The performance of sustainability-focused companies in the financial crises, published by the management consulting firm A.T.Kearney, analyzed the performance of 99 large companies included into the Dow-Jones Sustainability Index or the Goldman Sachs SUSTAIN focus list.

The report concludes that "companies  committed to corporate sustainability practices are achieving above average performance in the financial markets during this slowdown".  The study found that the difference grew with time: Over a three-month period, the performance differential came to 10 percent; over six months, the differential was 15 percent. This performance differential  translates to an average $650 million in market capitalization per company covered by the report.

Go to the report "Capturing the Green Advantage for Consumer Companies" by Boston Consulting Group

Go to the report "Green Winners: The Performance of Sustainability-focused Companies in the Financial Crisis" by A.T. Kearney