Parents are taking serious action due to climate change, from everyday decisions to long-term family planning.
A study from HP conducted by Morning Consult among parents in India, Mexico, Singapore, the UK and US found that 91% of parents are concerned about the climate crisis, leading to changes that are reshaping their lives and purchasing habits.
More than half (53%) say it has impacted their perspective on having more children. Forty-three percent of respondents said they had reconsidered working for a company based on its commitment to environmental and social issues.
The research also found many parents favor companies that are taking action to address climate change. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of parents prefer products that are sustainably sourced and 60% say sustainable company practices play a large part in their purchasing habits.
That is despite the findings that the vast majority of parents (84%) acknowledge the cost of living is rising and more than half (57%) believe engaging in environmentally friendly practices takes up a lot of time.
“Families, like all our customers, rely on HP to connect them to the things that matter most, be it work, entertainment or loved ones,” says Michele Malejki, global head of social impact at HP. “It’s one of the reasons parents are top of mind for us. And, like every generation before them, today’s parents have their own unique pressures, especially the climate crisis. It’s why we’re going beyond our business impact to make our business better for people and the planet.”
While parents are taking personal action, most also believe key players in the corporate world must act, too. Most parents (51%) believe that companies have “a lot” of responsibility in holding themselves accountable on climate action, as opposed to customers (36%).
“Our research correlates to what we see in our business: we are keeping customers, winning new sales, and attracting talent because of our Sustainable Impact initiatives and sustainable products,”says James McCall, chief sustainability officer at HP. “If we are serious about changing the trajectory of the climate crisis, industry must go beyond, changing the mindset of ‘do no harm’ to ‘do more good’.”
The findings come as HP releases its annual Sustainable Impact report for the 22nd year, showing that the company has reduced its absolute carbon footprint by 18% since 2019, reduced single-use plastic packaging by 55% compared to 2018, counteracted deforestation for 32% of all paper used in HP products and services, accelerated digital equity for more than 21-million people and committed to building a pipeline of diverse talent, with 46% of US new hires last year from racial or ethnic minorities.