Three top trends and priorities for sustainability executives over the coming 12 months As part of the build up to the 14th Annual Responsible Business Summit we wanted to gauge some of the top priorities for 2015 and beyond. We reached out to our global community to get a snapshot of their key priorities and opportunities for 2015. A total of 472 professionals shared their views, helping us identify key trends both globally and also within distinct regions. Three key findings: 1. Sustainability becoming a driving force for businesses: 25% of our respondents stated that their organisations are driven by Sustainability. A further 48% stated that sustainability is either fully embedded or permeates most departments within their organisation. One would assume that this would increase as sustainability becomes more embedded in R&D and throughout the rest of the organisation. 2. Embedding sustainability is top priority for 2015: Just over 45% of our respondents stated that embedding sustainability throughout the organisation is a top priority for 2015. The second highest priority is creating a culture of sustainability and third is sustainable innovation, at 44% and 33% respectively. 3. Sustainable innovation is the future: 30% of our community stated that sustainable innovation is the most exciting opportunity for their organisations over the next five years. This echoes a trend that is found throughout our research for the 2015 Responsible Business Summit - www.ethicalcorp.com/rbs

1. TOP SUSTAINABILITY
TRENDS FOR 2015
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2. 2
Top Sustainability Trends for 2015 Ethical Corporation | January 2015
Introduction
As part of the build up to the 14th Annual Responsible
Business Summit, we wanted to gauge some of the top
trends both currently and for the rest of 2015. So we
reached out to our global community to get a snapshot of
the current key issues and likely trends in sustainability.
Some key findings:
1. Embedding sustainability is top priority for 2015: Just over 45% of
our respondents stated that embedding sustainability throughout the
organisation is a top priority for 2015. The second highest priority is
creating a culture of sustainability and third is sustainable innovation, at
44% and 33% respectively.
2. Sustainable innovation is the future: 30% of our community stated
that sustainable innovation is the most exciting opportunity for their
organisations over the next five years. This echoes a trend that is found
throughout our research for the 2015 Responsible Business Summit
3. Sustainability as a key business driver: Nearly 25% of executives
polled said their organisation is driven by sustainability. One would
assume that this would increase as sustainability becomes more
embedded in RD and throughout the rest of the organisation.
15+ CEOs and C-Suite, plus further 300+ leading
CSR and Comms execs will discuss the future of
responsible business.
Key themes include: Sustainable Innovation,
Sustainable Culture, Collaboration, and
Circular Economy
More information: www.ethicalcorp.com/rbs
The 14th Annual Responsible Business Summit
London, 18-19 May 2015
Liam Dowd
Marketing Manager
@liamdowd10
30% of our
community stated
that sustainable
innovation holds
most exciting
opportunity for their
organisations over
the next five years.

3. 3
Top Sustainability Trends for 2015 Ethical Corporation | January 2015
Setting the Scene
In December 2014 Ethical Corporation conducted a survey of our global community to identify key trends
and opportunities in 2015.
There were 472 respondents in total.
Where our respondents work:
Their seniority:
Board level / business owner......... 12%
C-suite / director / VP..................... 14%
Manager......................................... 27%
Executive.......................................... 6%
Consultant...................................... 19%
Researcher....................................... 9%
Professor.......................................... 7%
Other................................................. 6%
15+ CEOs and C-Suite, plus further 300+ leading
CSR and Comms execs will discuss the future of
responsible business.
Key themes include: Sustainable Innovation,
Sustainable Culture, Collaboration, and
Circular Economy
More information: www.ethicalcorp.com/rbs
The 14th Annual Responsible Business Summit
London, 18-19 May 2015
Corporate / brand........................... 37%
Agency / service provider
/ consultant..................................... 33%
NGO............................................... 12%
Academic....................................... 15%
Government...................................... 3%

4. 4
Top Sustainability Trends for 2015 Ethical Corporation | January 2015
Where our respondents are based:
Type of company they work for:
15+ CEOs and C-Suite, plus further 300+ leading
CSR and Comms execs will discuss the future of
responsible business.
Key themes include: Sustainable Innovation,
Sustainable Culture, Collaboration, and
Circular Economy
More information: www.ethicalcorp.com/rbs
The 14th Annual Responsible Business Summit
London, 18-19 May 2015
B2B ................................................ 44%
B2C ................................................ 18%
B2B and B2C (Equally).................. 38%
15%
2%
3%
25%
28%
2%
4%

5. 5
Top Sustainability Trends for 2015 Ethical Corporation | January 2015
We asked 472 respondents the extent to which Sustainability is
currently embedded throughout their organistaion.
Their responses were as follows:
Sustainability is very much separate
........................................................ 20%
Sustainability permeates most of our
departments................................... 30%
Sustainability is embedded throughout
our organisation............................. 18%
Our organisation is driven by
sustainability................................... 25%
Don’t know....................................... 7%
Top 3 priorities in 2015:
1. Embedding CSR
2. Creating a
Sustainable Culture
3. Sustainable
innovation
25% of
organisations
are driven by
Sustainability
15+ CEOs and C-Suite, plus further 300+ leading
CSR and Comms execs will discuss the future of
responsible business.
Key themes include: Sustainable Innovation,
Sustainable Culture, Collaboration, and
Circular Economy
More information: www.ethicalcorp.com/rbs
The 14th Annual Responsible Business Summit
London, 18-19 May 2015
Driving consumer behaviour change
Engaging multi-stakeholder groups
Sustainable innovation
Embedding CSR throughout the organisation
Creating a culture of sustainability
Impact assessments
Carbon reduction techniques
Minimising water use
Building long-term supplier partnerships
Industry collaboration
Eliminating risk from the supply chain
Communicating success in sustainable projects
Getting top-level buy-in
Community support programmes
Waste management
Evaluating non-financial impacts
200150100
For our respondents, the top 3 CSR issues were as follows:

6. 6
Top Sustainability Trends for 2015 Ethical Corporation | January 2015
15+ CEOs and C-Suite, plus further 300+ leading
CSR and Comms execs will discuss the future of
responsible business.
Key themes include: Sustainable Innovation,
Sustainable Culture, Collaboration, and
Circular Economy
More information: www.ethicalcorp.com/rbs
The 14th Annual Responsible Business Summit
London, 18-19 May 2015
Top 3 CSR-related priorities by region
ASIA
Embedding CSR throughout the organisation..... 44%
Creating a culture of sustainability........................42%
Community support programmes.........................39%
N. AMERICA
Embedding CSR throughout the organisation..... 52%
Creating a culture of sustainability........................45%
Sustainable innovation..........................................30%
EUROPE
Embedding CSR throughout the organisation..... 53%
Sustainable innovation..........................................45%
Creating a culture of sustainability........................43%
UK
Embedding CSR throughout the organisation..... 46%
Creating a culture of sustainability........................41%
Engaging multi-stakeholder groups.....................30%

7. 7
Top Sustainability Trends for 2015 Ethical Corporation | January 2015
The single most exciting opportunity in 2015:
Most exciting opportunity in 2015 by region
15+ CEOs and C-Suite, plus further 300+ leading
CSR and Comms execs will discuss the future of
responsible business.
Key themes include: Sustainable Innovation,
Sustainable Culture, Collaboration, and
Circular Economy
More information: www.ethicalcorp.com/rbs
The 14th Annual Responsible Business Summit
London, 18-19 May 2015
Industry collaboration.................... 11%
Supplier partnerships..................... 11%
Culture of sustainability.................. 20%
Sustainable innovation................... 21%
Consumer behaviour change.......... 7%
Resource savings............................. 7%
Embedding sustainability............... 23%
22% state
embedding
sustainability
as most
exciting
opportunity
in 2015
Culture of Sustainability
Embedding Sustainability
Embedding Sustainability
Embedding Sustainability
33%
27%
25%
29%

8. 8
Top Sustainability Trends for 2015 Ethical Corporation | January 2015
15+ CEOs and C-Suite, plus further 300+ leading
CSR and Comms execs will discuss the future of
responsible business.
Key themes include: Sustainable Innovation,
Sustainable Culture, Collaboration, and
Circular Economy
More information: www.ethicalcorp.com/rbs
The 14th Annual Responsible Business Summit
London, 18-19 May 2015
Looking to the Future…
We asked our 472 respondents for the single most exciting
opportunity over the next five years. Their answers were as follows:
Sustainable Innovation................... 30%
Resource Savings............................ 8%
Embedding CSR............................ 15%
Industry Collaboration...................... 8%
Supplier Partnerships....................... 6%
Culture of Sustainability................. 23%
Consumer Behaviour Change....... 10%
N. AMERICA
UK
27%
37%
SUSTAINABLE
INNOVATION
SUSTAINABLE
INNOVATION
30% state
sustainable
innovation as
most exciting
opportunity in
next five years
SUSTAINABLE
INNOVATION
27%
29%
ASIA
EUROPE
CULTURE OF
SUSTAINABILITY
Most exciting opportunity in next five years by region