10 ways to encourage sustainable living in China : OgilvyEarth

25 per cent of Chinese consumers say corporations have an obligation to solve the problem, with only 15 per cent stating corporations are in fact taking action.

The study, focused on understanding the difference between what people say they are doing around sustainability and what they are actually doing, underlines the need for corporations and governments to do more to educate Chinese consumers about their role in environmental protection, encouraging the adoption of sustainable behaviour. 

From July to October 2010, a team of strategists and ethnographers from OgilvyEarth, in partnership with Chinese consumer insights and design firm Enovate, studied 24 families in Shanghai, Tianjin and Wuxi. The team spent up to two days with each family, examining their perceptions of environmental sustainability, followed by a nationwide quantitative study amongst 1,300 respondents in the Mainland.

“When a question about adoption of green behaviour is put to consumers in China, they instinctively claim to be green because they already have the basic knowledge they need to change their behaviors – and it is the politically correct thing to say. But the reality is, while they may be concerned, they often feel powerless or do not have the means to adopt sustainable behavior,” said Kunal Sinha, chief knowledge officer and team leader of OgilvyEarth at Ogilvy & Mather Greater China.

Sinha adds that if companies base their marketing decisions on consumers' claimed behaviours, they would far underestimate the need for education and the potential of the green market.

Obstacles to sustainable behaviour include:

• Less than 25 per cent of respondents believe they have the power to solve environmental problems
• Only 18.6 per cent are prepared to limit their consumption or buy less
• A growing middle class means an increase in cars and air-conditioners purchased
• 'Going green' is considered inconvenient due to a shortage of time and money
• An overload of claims and certifications lead to a distrust of labels on green products
• Green frontrunners are seen as idealists or eco-chic, creating a distance suggesting sustainability is not for everyone

The opportunity for corporations, government and non-profits lie in the following findings:

• Chinese consumers have a fairly accurate understanding of the basic concepts underlying environmentalist
• 90.7 per cent think the sustainability movement is on the upswing
• 80 per cent seek recognition from peers for green bahaviour
• 78 per cent seek guidelines to sustainability rather than a legislated green lifestyle
• 69 per cent would buy environmentally friendly products at the same price point, 71 per cent are happy to pay 10 per cent more
• 65 per cent said if more people in their community were active in being green, they would be too

Outlined in the report are 10 actionable items that provide a blueprint for any corporation, government or non-profit aiming to encourage sustainable practices:

1. Mainstream, not model. Encourage and reward the mainstream green behaviors already in practice by Chinese citizens.

2. Products, not just policy. Highlight existing products and services, manufacturing and transport innovations that are sustainable. By informing consumers, you make them aware of green choices.

3. Every day, not just Earth Day.

4. Personal, not planet. Start conversations. If the world is to change for the better, it will be as a result of decisions that are made by many individuals at a personal level.

5. Incentive, not invective. Build incentives for both individual and community adoption to encourage greener practices and purchasing decisions.

6. Choice, not constraint. Offer consumers a choice. A brand’s green credentials can be a tie-breaker if the price is comparable, so it is important to offer the choice at the right time and place.

7. Dialogue, not decree. When engagement is based on compliance, people follow the rules and forget about it. When we want to continue the conversation about greener practices, we need to engage rather than command.

8. Conscious, not conspicuous. Create consciousness about a collective Chinese good. Encourage families to ask themselves if they really need stuff.

9. Collaborate, not confront. Partnerships can result in positive change. Currently, the green movement is plagued with more confrontation than consensus.

10. Pluralise, not polarise. Green practices divide people; make the case that environmental sustainability affects everyone because polarisation solves nothing.