Management Practice Insights

Abstract

While majority of consumers globally believe that environmentally sustainable consumption is important, only a minority act on that belief. This intention–action gap matters not only for public policy but also for companies. As an increasing number of nations require companies to reduce their carbon footprint, companies have moved to develop operations, products and services with reduced environmental impact. However, the ‘elusive green consumer’ phenomenon persists: many people say they want green products, yet their purchases tell another story. So how can organisations and marketers nudge customer behaviour towards more eco-friendly choices? Recent research by Manuel Reppmann, Stephan Harms, Laura Marie Edinger- Schons, and Johann Nils Foege suggests that firms can activate the sustainable attitude in most consumers by directly involving them in corporate sustainability initiatives.¹ When customers participate in a company’s sustainability efforts – for example, giving feedback on green practices or joining recycling programs – they often develop a sense of ownership in the mission, which in turn motivates them to buy and use products more sustainably. Our essay highlights when this effect is strongest and exemplar cases alongside a cautionary counterexample, as well as a practical roadmap for deploying insight at scale