The 2025 Better Futures report from Kantar and the Sustainable Business Council has found that New Zealanders remain dedicated to sustainability and expect businesses to demonstrate the same level of commitment.
The report reveals that 67% of people believe they can make a difference, and 60% are willing to invest their time and money to support companies that act responsibly.
49% said they have stopped purchasing products due to concerns about their environmental or social impact.
An increasing proportion of New Zealanders expect businesses to take meaningful action, with 89% now saying companies should be accountable for their environmental and social impacts—up from 85% last year.
While 64% of New Zealanders are personally more interested in environmental sustainability compared to 58% who are more focused on social sustainability, they tend to judge businesses more by their social actions. This suggests that although environmental issues are a higher personal priority, social responsibility plays a larger role in shaping perceptions of corporate behaviour.
70% of the respondents believe businesses are not doing enough, marking a 2% increase from last year. Additionally, 66% find the way businesses communicate their social and environmental commitments confusing, while 47% view it as dishonest.
The report has also identified the main obstacles to sustainable behaviour as cost, time constraints, lack of knowledge or skills, and scepticism about the impact of individual efforts. Businesses can help address these challenges by making sustainable choices easier and more convenient.
Kantar’s Sustainable Transformation Practice Lead, Jason Cate, highlights that the report’s value comes from its integration of both consumer perspectives and sustainability insights.
“If you asked me what the value of Better Futures is now, I would quote a recent attendee from the launch event who said that you can find plenty of reports on consumers and brands and plenty on sustainability, but this is the only one that combines the two. And that is the reality for sustainability leads and marketing leads – the two are inseparable.”
The Better Futures 2025 report surveyed 1,010 individuals between January 24 and February 5, 2025.