Top 3 Priorities for Businesses Must Continue to Address Sustainability and Social Impact in 2025, According to Consumers
As we move toward 2025, consumers are sending a clear message: sustainability and social impact aren’t just ideals — they’re expectations. In fact, a growing majority of people, especially younger generations, are letting their values dictate where they work, what they buy, and which brands they trust. Based on new insights from 3BL’s Say Less, Risk More: Sustainability Silence is Undermining Trust 2nd Quarterly Report, here are the top three priorities that consumers say businesses must act on next year.
1. Ensure Fair Compensation and Economic Equity
Today’s workforce expects more than just a paycheck—they want purpose, transparency, and equity. Over 40% of young workers say they have left or plan to leave a job because of sustainability concerns. Economic equity is no longer a “nice to have”— it’s a central demand, particularly among Gen Z and Millennials.
Consumers are urging companies to commit to fair wages, inclusive hiring, and real opportunities for upward mobility, especially in frontline and entry-level roles. This ties directly into the growing push for economic justice across the private sector. Research from Net Impact and Reimagine 94 highlights this trend, showing that the future of work must center around equity, sustainability, and employee wellbeing.
2. Adopt Practices to Eliminate Waste
Waste is a glaring symbol of inefficiency—and consumers are watching. From packaging to supply chains, they want to see businesses cutting excess, rethinking materials, and embracing circularity.
Companies that design waste out of their systems, prioritize reuse, and make recycling accessible are more likely to win consumer loyalty. In fact, waste reduction is one of the most immediate, visible ways brands can demonstrate authentic environmental action, something that stakeholders are eager to see after years of “green talk” with little follow-through.
3. Protect and Restore Ecosystems
As climate anxiety intensifies, people are paying close attention to how companies engage with nature. Beyond carbon footprints, today’s consumers want brands to actively restore the ecosystems they impact, not just minimize harm.
This means investing in regenerative agriculture, supporting biodiversity, restoring degraded lands, and protecting water systems. Companies that collaborate with Indigenous communities, environmental NGOs, and conservation experts are particularly well-positioned to lead the way.
The Bottom Line? Do Better — and Be Real About It.
In 2025, sustainability won’t be a separate strategy, it will be the business strategy. Whether it’s fair compensation, waste reduction, or ecosystem protection, consumers are asking companies to step up with transparency, urgency, and measurable impact.
Want to stay ahead of what matters most in the ESG space? Click here to see every point noted here and more in our 2025 Second Quarter Report by clicking here.
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