Sept. 25, 2008 - The majority of consumers say companies should take charge in the fight against global warming - and would favor products made by companies that act responsibly, according to a new Nielsen survey. (via Reuters)

The survey finds 51% of respondents consider it "very important" for firms to improve the environment and that corporate commitment to green ethics is playing "an increasingly influential role in consumers' purchasing behavior," according to Nielsen. When asked how they would like to help social and environmental causes, 68% favor buying greener goods with just 13% preferring to donate cash.

However, many respondents feel companies will likely fail to take the initiative, with 40% saying governments should restrict companies' emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.

“A 'global conscience' is one of the biggest trends to have emerged in the last decade," says Amilcar Perez, a vice president of the Nielsen Company in Latin America.

The poll of 28,000 Internet users in 51 countries is the first worldwide poll of company ethics and corporate responsibility, according to Nielsen.

The survey findings strongly echo an earlier survey in which 90% of U.S. consumers agreed companies should shoulder most of the green burden by marketing more environmental preferable products.