1

Sustainability Business Survey

2

Contents

• Methodology

• Sustainability in General

• Importance within Career

• Green Practices in Everyday Life

3

Methodology

4

Methodology

• A link to complete an electronic survey was sent out to the MIT Sloan student body.– The survey was open from April 2 – 15, 2008.– Two reminder emails went out on

• April 8• April 15

• A total of 376 surveys were filled out during the fielding period (236 completed and 140 partial).

5

Sustainability in General

6

Green Business Movement• 93% of students agree that the green business movement provides

an opportunity to create new jobs, services, and products.

0

20

40

60

80

100

The green businessmovement provides anopportunity to create

new jobs, services, andproducts.

The green businessmovement representsthe early stages of a

new trend.

The green businessmovement is a

marketing tactic.

The green businessmovement is a passing

trend.

Agree Somewhat

Agree Strongly

%

Ag

ree

n = 297

7

Guidelines on Green / Sustainable Business

• Three out of four agree that clearer guidelines should be implemented.

%

Ag

ree

0

20

40

60

80

Clearer guidelines as to whatconstitutes a green / sustainable

business should beimplemented.

I personally know how todetermine whether a business is

green / sustainable.

Clear guidelines as to whatconstitutes a green / sustainable

business currently exist.

Somewhat agree

Agree strongly

n = 283

8

Factors on Determining if a Company is Green

• About 60% strongly agree that the company’s own practices determine if the company is green / sustainable.

0

20

40

60

80

100

The company's ownpractices.

Greening the supplychain.

Implementing greenertransportation

Replacing syntheticmaterials with those

that are biodegradable.

Somewhat agree

Agree strongly

%

Ag

ree

n = 271

9

Most Important Factor on Determining if a Company is Green

• The most important factor for students is the company’s business practice.

Other, 5.2

Implementing greener transportation fleets., 2.6

Replacing synthetic materials., 3.72

Capping CO2 emissions., 17.1

Greening the supply chain., 17.47

The company's specific business practices., 33.09

Depends on the type of business (Other), 4.86

Don't know / not sure, 15.24

0 10 20 30 40% %n = 267

%%

10

Environmental Responsibility in the Bottom Line

• The percent of students doubles in agreement that a company will need to build responsibility into its bottom line to be successful.

0

20

40

60

80

A company mustbuild

environmentalresponsibility intoits bottom line to

be successful.

A company's recordof environmentalresponsibility is asignificant factor

that investors takeinto account whendeciding whether

to invest.

A company willneed to build

environmentalresponsibility intoits bottom line to

be successful.

A company's recordof environmentalresponsibility willbe a significant

factor that investorstake into account

when decidingwhether to invest.

Somwhat agree

Agree Strongly

%

Ag

ree

n = 257

Today Future

11

Importance within Career

12

Employment

• The majority of students have secured a job or are currently employed.

57%28%

15%I have secured a job offer.

I am still in the process of my jobsearch.

I am currently employed at oraffiliated with a company.

n = 251

13

• Over a quarter of students agree that they have researched the environmental records of company’s that they are interested in working for.

%

Ag

ree

0

20

40

60

80

Once I am moreestablished in my

career, a company'senvironmental record

and/or itscommitment to

sustainable businesspractices will likely

be a greater factor indeciding where to

work.

At this stage, I ammore concerned withsecuring a position

than taking intoaccount a company'senvironmental record.

I will only considerworking for a

company that hasimplemented policiesand procedures thatminimize its impacton the environment.

When consideringpossible employment

with a company,their environmentalrecord is a major

factor for me.

I have alreadyresearched theenvironmental

records ofcompanies I am

interested in workingfor.

Somewhat agree

Agree strongly

I am still in the process of my job search

n = 70; low sample size, interpret with caution

14

• Close to 60% of students that have secured a job agree that a company’s environmental record and/or it’s commitment to sustainable business practices did not factor into his/her decision about the position.

%

Ag

ree

0

20

40

60

80

A company'senvironmental recordand/or its commitmentto sustainable businesspractices did not factorinto my decision about

which position toaccept.

A company'senvironmental recordand/or its commitmentto sustainable business

practices will likelyfactor into my decision

to accept a positionduring a future job

search.

The company'senvironmental recordand/or its commitmentto sustainable business

practices played amajor factor in my

decision to accept theposition that I did.

I turned down a positionwith a company

because I was notcomfortable with its

environmental recordand/or its lack ofcommitment to

sustainable businesspractices.

Somewhat Agree

Strongly Agree

I have secured a job offer

n = 139

15

I am currently employed at or affiliated with a company

• 72% of students that are currently employed agree that they would like to learn more about the company’s sustainable business practices.

%

Ag

ree

0

20

40

60

80

I would like to learnmore about my

company'senvironmentally

friendly or sustainablebusiness practices.

I feel my company is onthe right track in terms

of establishingenvironmentally

friendly or sustainablebusiness practices.

I am very familiar withmy company's

environmental recordand/or its commitmentto sustainable business

practices.

I feel my company doesnot engage in enough

environmentallyfriendly or sustainable

business practices.

Agree Somewhat

Agree Strongly

n = 38; low sample size, interpret with caution

16

Plan to Launch Own Business• Half of the students that responded said that he/she plan to

launch their own business.

Yes50%

No13%

Don't know/not

sure37%

0

25

50

75

First-year MBA / LFM /SDM student

Second-year MBA / LFM/ SDM student

Sloan Fellow PhD candidate

Plan to Launch Own Business

# o

f re

sp

on

se

s

Q10. n= 247, Q19. n = 240

17

Envisioned Business• Of those that plan to launch their own business, most believe that they will

maintain a healthy bottom line while minimizing impact on the environment and plan to start their business with sustainable business practices in place.

%

Ag

ree

0

20

40

60

80

Will be able tomaintain a

healthybottom line

whileminimizing my

company'simpact on theenvironment.

Plan to startmy businesswith green /sustainable

businesspractices in

place.

Envisionemphasizingthe green /sustainable

aspects of myfuture

business inthe business'

marketingmessagesand plans.

Expect thatgreen /

sustainablebusiness

practices willbe a critical

element in mybusiness plan.

Believe thatcurrent

businesspractices andpolicies will

make itdifficult tomaintain a

healthybottom line

whileminimizing my

company'simpact on theenvironment.

Plan to launcha business

whosepurpose willbe to deliveror create a

green /sustainableproposition.

May introducegreen /

sustainablebusiness

practices atsome point inmy business'development,but it won't be

a majorconcern at the

beginning.

Wouldincorporate

green /sustainable

practices intomy business

only if ittranslates into

profits.

Agree Somewhat

Agree Strongly

n = 124

18

Green Practices in Everyday Life

19

Household Products• 45% strongly agree that he/she prefer to purchase

environmentally friendly products.

%

Ag

ree

0

20

40

60

80

100

I would like thereto be clearer and

more standardizedcertifications ofenvironmental

friendliness for thehousehold

products I buy.

I prefer topurchase

environmentallyfriendly products.

I look for productsthat have been

certified asenvironmentally

friendly.

I know how todetermine if a

product isenvironmentally

friendly.

Standardcertifications ofenvironmental

friendliness existfor commonhouseholdproducts.

Agree Somewhat

Agree Strongly

n = 242

20

Gauging Environmental Friendliness• The top three ways that students gauge whether or not the product is

environmentally friendly are by recyclable contents, product labeling, and reputation of the company that makes it.

1.27

1.36

2.97

9.41

9.50

11.20

11.37

11.70

12.55

12.72

7.04

8.91

0 5 10 15 20

Recyclable contents.

Product labeling.

Reputation of the company that makes it.

Wrapper or container that is made ofrecycled materials.

Recyclable wrapper or container.

Formal certification.

Word of mouth / reputation of the product.

Ingredients.

News coverage about the product.

I don't pay much attention to whether aproduct is environmentally friendly or not.

Don't know/not sure.

Other

% %

n = 241

%%

21

Recycling• The majority of students never bring their own bags to

the supermarket.

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Always

Often

Occassionally

Never

Recycle at home

Recycle on campus

Bring my own bags to thesupermarket when I shop

n = 241

22

Commuting

• Nearly half of students commute to campus via public transportation.

49%

24%

9%

9%8%

1%

Public transportation

Walk

I live on campus, so I don't have acommute.

Bike

Car (single driver)

Carpool

n = 241

23

Paying More• 3 in 4 students are willing to pay more if a product

contains all natural ingredients.

% Yes

0 20 40 60 80

It has a wrapper / containermade with recycled materials.

It is made by a company with astrong environmental record.

The product itself was madefrom recycled materials.

It is more environmentallyfriendly.

It contains all naturalingredients.

n = 240

24

Switching Brands

0 20 40 60 80

Has a container or wrappermade with recycled materials.

The product itself was madefrom recycled materials.

Is made by a company with astrong environmental record.

Is more environmentallyfriendly.

Contains all naturalingredients.

% Yes

• Over 50% of students have switched brands in the last six months for a product that contains all natural ingredients.

n = 240

25

Graduation Pledge• 73% of students are unaware of what the MIT

Sloan Graduation Pledge is.

I don't know what the MIT Sloan Graduation Pledge

is.73%

I do not plan to sign it.2%

I am have not decided whether or not to sign it.

6%

I plan to sign it.19%

n = 240

26

Student Status

• Nearly half of the students that completed the survey were first-year MBA /LFM/ SDM students.

Second-year MBA / LFM / SDM student

38%

Sloan Fellow9%

PhD candidate4%

First-year MBA / LFM / SDM student

49%

n = 240

27

Wish to be Contacted by Media Relations

• 83 students wish to be contacted by Media Relations for student quotes.

Yes34%

No66%

n = 239