Press Release
London’s First Sustainable Brands Conference Unveils New Research on Global Business and Consumer Behaviour

LONDON, November 27, 2012 – Today, the world’s biggest brands and leaders in sustainability will convene in London at the inaugural pan-European Sustainable Brands London Conference.

The conference, which is in its sixth year and being held outside of the US for the first time, has become a calendar event for leading global businesses committed to leveraging sustainable innovation as a driver of business growth and brand value.

Under the theme, ‘Power of And’, over 80 of the world’s leading thinkers and practitioners of environmental and social innovation will lead interactive discussions, breakout sessions, plenary presentations and brand innovation labs to promote collaboration and sharing of ideas. Attendees are experiencing how working together can lead toward both commercial success and a better future.

This unified approach highlights the emergence of a new era of sustainability, in which individuals are coming together with some the world’s biggest brands to drive demand for socially and environmentally responsible business, behaviours and products, and cultivate solutions for change. This collaboration has deepened the connection between individuals and brands as they join together to become the agents of transformation.

Leading global brands and individuals in attendance at the Sustainable Brands London Conference include Unilever, adidas, Coca-Cola, Kingfisher, General Mills, Marks & Spencer, 02, Kimberly Clark, L’Oreal, Philips, MARS and hundreds more.

“Delivering a healthy environment, a healthy economy and ultimately, a healthy society requires a truly collaborative effort to combine the best of human ingenuity and innovation to change the shape of business, and with it, the world, said KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz, Founder and Chief Catalyst of Sustainable Brands.

KoAnn continues: “We are delighted to be hosting the conference outside of North America for the first time. Sustainable Brands London demonstrates our aim to spark new ideas by connecting people from different perspectives and disciplines from around the world in an optimistic, collaborative environment to create a shared vision of what is possible, and work together to drive meaningful and lasting change.”

Several organisations are set to unveil new research at the conference, which will include investigations into the role of brands in influencing attitude and behaviour change, savings attributable to the sharing economy and the gaping disparity between consumers’ sustainable intentions and actions, as well as new insights for closing the ‘green gap’.

Major new research and key insights to be launched at the Conference include:

• GfK Consumer Trends reports 40% of consumers globally consider ‘being environmentally responsible’ to be the most important responsibility of companies today1

• BBMG’s ‘Regeneration Consumer Study’ reports that consumers in developing markets are more than twice as likely as their counterparts in developed markets to purchase products because of environmental and social benefits (51% to 22%) and pay more for sustainable products (60% to 26%)2

• OgilvyEarth’s Mainstream Green UK version report reveals that 73% UK respondents would rather purchase environmentally responsible products from a familiar, mainstream brand. Asked who they believed was doing the most to help solve the global environmental issues, UK respondents’ list corporations last (Individuals 71%, Government 17%, and Corporations 12%)3

• Brits save and make far less than other countries in Europe or the US due to sharing behaviours and attitudes4

Free SB London Conference Live Stream

Sustainable Brands will be able to offer 2 full days of live stream broadcast from the conference plenary sessions for those unable to attend .The conference will stream live each day between 9:00 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. GMT. Interested viewers can learn more at SB London Live Register

**1 **GfK Consumer Trends, Green Gauge(r) Global 2012 survey results. GfK will be represented by Joseph Staton, Director & General Manager, GfK Consumer Trends, in the panel on Untangling the Consumer Attitude/Behavior Gap. This data has not been shared with the media, or anyone other than GfK's clients, to date

**2 **BBMG ‘Regeneration Consumer Study’ results – from an in-depth study of consumer attitudes, motivations and behaviours around sustainable consumption – to be launched at SB London. All data and key findings embargoed until 26 November

**3 **OgilvyEarth, Mainstream Green: UK Edition. Report analyses the ‘Green Gap’ between consumer attitudes and behaviours, and the role brands can play in closing this gap to create momentum along the green continuum

4 The People Who Share commissioned Opinium Research to conduct a Consumer Survey on UK sharing habits. Results embargoed until 14 November (‘Global Sharing Day), when full results will be released