Cutting through the noise on sustainability has become more challenging over the past year with geo-political instability, changes in government, and persistent economic challenges. During this time social and environmental challenges are only growing, with climate-related global supply chain disruptions expected to cost businesses $2.7 trillion annually by 2030. At a time when many brands feel unsure of their next move, and where inaction can speak just as loudly as action, touch base on what your brand should do next with Kantar’s mid-year breakdown on how consumers think, feel and act on sustainability.
The cost of sustainability is already evident, but the scale and scope of the opportunity is underrealised. Kantar’s BrandZ shows that sustainability perceptions build brand equity and predisposition, drive volume and enhance the ability to command a premium. Sustainability perceptions alone contribute up to 10% to the value of the Kantar BrandZ global top 100 brands – and yet, according to our latest estimation, they are still leaving a potential $600 billion on the table.
Consumer demand stays on track
In the face of political headwinds, the business case for inclusive marketing is clear. Despite Executive Orders under the Trump administration, Kantar’s latest Consumer Reality Check reveals a powerful shift: the percentage of Americans who care about diversity and inclusion has grown from 65% in 2019 to 70% in 2025. This isn’t just a trend; it’s a mandate. Brands that ignore the inclusion imperative risk alienating expanding, underserved consumer segments that are demanding to be seen, heard, and valued.
Sustainability is no longer a niche concern; it’s a global expectation. According to Kantar’s Sustainability Sector Index, 85% of people worldwide want to make better choices for the planet. As the climate crisis intensifies, consumer scrutiny of brand sustainability will only deepen. Gen Z and Millennials are leading the charge: 57% of Gen Z and 64% of Millennials identify as environmentalists, compared to a global average of 50%. Yet, a staggering 83% of brands still carry a net negative sustainability score. This is a a disconnect that’s becoming untenable
A marketing framework for sustainable growth
When it comes to sustainability, in contrast to other business functions, marketing has been a laggard. Compared to rigorous carbon accounting mechanisms, and plastic reduction laws, there hasn’t been any set framework to measure how the marketing function performs on sustainability.
Over the past year, our Sustainable Transformation Practice has worked closely with United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and the world's most influential CMOs to design ONE unified framework to help marketing leaders integrate sustainability into their growth strategies and brand plans.
Explore the CMO Blueprint for Sustainable Growth to learn more and join the movement by asking your clients to complete our new Sustainable Growth Benchmark Survey. As a thank you, you'll receive early access to the results - your scores benchmarked against peers in the industry with the first phase of insights.
Making sustainability a point of difference for your brand
Sustainable marketing is an opportunity to stand out from competitors to drive brand equity.
Secure return on investment with BrandSustainability, the first marketing solution to directly measure how sustainability impacts brand growth. Our new metrics leverage Kantar’s market-leading Meaningful Different Salient framework to prioritise, execute, and monitor actions that boost brand perception on sustainability.
Create value by unlocking consumer barriers
It is unlikely that sustainability alone will encourage consumers to purchase your product. Even though, in general, people want to be more sustainable, key market barriers such as price, convenience and information stand in the way of sustainable purchasing decisions.
Kantar’s new “Bridging the Gap: Infusing the value-action gap into different groups of people” report identifies seven different groups of people based on their relation to the sustainability value-action gap. From the Changemaker to the Dismissive, uncover how to support, combine or even disguise sustainability to drive more adoption.