Asian consumers’ now aware of biodiversity; want companies to protect it

By Rolando A. Inciong

 

Awareness of the importance of biodiversity among Asian consumers, especially the youth, has increased over the last decade and more people want private companies to protect biodiversity. This was reported by the recently launched 2019 UEBT Biodiversity Barometer, an ongoing set of research that has spanned more than a decade and is updated annually. The Barometer has interviewed more than 68,000 consumers over 11 years, asking what they know and understand about biodiversity, and what they expect from brands.

This year’s edition focused on consumer insights from four countries in Asia: China, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. The report, which is commissioned by the Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT), an international non-profit organization, was shared with company leaders at UEBT’s annual Beauty of Sourcing with Respect Conference held in Paris.

A majority of Asian consumers surveyed feel that companies have a moral obligation to assure them that they have a positive impact on people and biodiversity. The survey participants said they have more faith in brands ‘whose commitment to ethical sourcing biodiversity is verified by independent organisations.’

Dr. Cristiana Paşca Palmer, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity said “In line with our 2020 biodiversity targets, we see consumer awareness rising every year, including in Asia. Businesses must embrace conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in response to consumer expectations on biodiversity, and assure a livable future for all.

Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim, Executive Director of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), said the 10 ASEAN Member States – Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam – supported by the ACB, continue to work together in promoting the values of biodiversity and the importance of its conservation, through mainstreaming initiatives, as well as communication, education and public awareness (CEPA) campaigns.

“Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation is a good strategy to increase awareness of the importance of biodiversity and generate greater multi-sector involvement in conservation. Sectors such as infrastructure, agricultural expansion, mining, energy, and other development activities have been impacting biodiversity directly and indirectly. Hence, it is crucial to mainstream biodiversity conservation into development plans, as well as in the business processes of the private sector to ensure that biodiversity is still protected in an ever-growing region such as ASEAN. Biodiversity conservation is a multi-sectoral concern, thus, the ASEAN and ACB are prioritizing mainstreaming biodiversity in the decision-making framework to increase its visibility among policy-makers in government and business.” Dr. Lim explained.

Rik Kutsch Lojenga, UEBT’s Executive Director, said, “We felt the time was right to dive deeper into consumers’ insights from Asia. In 2020, China will host the UN Summit on Biodiversity, which will define the global plan on biodiversity for the next decade.  Chinese leadership in this major global event underscores the role that Asia has in protecting the world’s biodiversity. This also means there is an opportunity for business to take concrete action to position their brands in Asian markets as leaders in sourcing with respect for people and biodiversity.”

The 10 highlights of the UEBT Biodiversity Barometer include:

• Awareness and understanding of biodiversity grow year after year, around the world. Consumers with lower incomes show particular growth. Young consumers remain the best informed. Biodiversity is becoming a mainstream concept for consumers.
• Consumers find biodiversity conservation important for their personal well-being and that of generations to come. They want to personally contribute.
• Respecting people and biodiversity in purchases is a growing concern. Consumers understand their potential to make a positive contribution to society – this makes them feel good.
• Consumers expect companies to respect biodiversity, but don’t trust they do.
• Consumers call more and more for transparency on ingredient and their origin. They want more information – preferably externally validated – on how products respect people and biodiversity.
• Authentic stories, proof of good practices on the ground, and clear communication are key to convince consumers of companies’ respect for people and biodiversity.
• Young consumers have the highest awareness of biodiversity and can identify brands that respect biodiversity and are most demanding on companies. They can identify brands that respect biodiversity and value companies that ‘walk the talk’ by taking action.
• Opportunities exist for brands that wish to position themselves around sourcing with respect for people and biodiversity. To date, only Natura Cosmetics is clearly recognised in relation to biodiversity – and only in Brazil, where it has over 50 percent consumer recognition rates.
• Corporate communication on biodiversity by beauty, food, and beverage companies continues to rise year-on-year. It is becoming industry practice, though the information provided is often superficial.
• Consumers are increasingly interested in naturals, and companies are investing in biodiversity-based research and development. Complying with evolving rules on Nagoya Protocol and Access and Benefit Sharing legislation is becoming an increasingly important factor in reputation risk management. #