May 13, 2008 - Consumers are getting better at fingering the companies that aren't doing their part against climate change, even within industries that have a generally good reputation on the issue, according to a new survey from Havas Media, a market research firm.

The survey suggests consumer awareness of the damage done by particular companies and sectors is growing increasingly sophisticated, and that companies that fail to act responsibly can no longer expect to hide behind generally positive perceptions of the sector in which they operate. For example, some brands within banking - which, as a sector, is ranked more environmentally correct than the oil and fuel industries - were considered less environmentally friendly than some of the more proactive oil and fuel brands.

Such perceptions are extremely likely to impact companies' bottom lines. Eight in ten consumers surveyed said they would rather buy from companies doing their best to reduce their impact on the environment.

"Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of who is credibly making changes and who is not, despite green stereotypes associated with different sectors," says Alfonso Rodes, CEO of Havas Media. "The result: green marketing strategies and good environmental practices are no longer a nice-to-have for brands, but increasingly a must-have in terms of not only maintaining brand image but also in maintaining market share."

The research also paints a picture of a world that has given up on its elected leaders' abilities to combat the problem, with only 11% of all respondents agreeing strongly that their governments are doing enough to arrest climate change. In two-thirds of the markets researched (U.K., U.S., Mexico, Brazil, Germany, and France), people felt more strongly that companies and their brands should be finding solutions to climate change - not the government, the survey finds.