Attitudes towards Corporate Social Responsibility - China - January 2019

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The consumer
High CSR awareness, but not a deep understanding
Figure 1: Awareness of corporate social responsibility, October 2018
Channel selection needs to convey a sense of formality and authority
Figure 2: Channels used to learn about csr, October 2018
Greatest emphasis on the environment, but also a growing interest in a wider range of topics
Figure 3: CSR initiatives that will make a good impression on brands, October 2018
Pollution-reduction, energy-saving, and packaging recycling are most wanted across industries
Figure 4: Effective environmental claims by category, October 2018
Helping consumers express their CSR support
Figure 5: Interest in public welfare activities, October 2018
A question of ‘how to do it’ not ‘whether to do it’
Figure 6: Attitudes towards CSR, October 2018
What we think
ISSUES AND INSIGHTS
Brands act as facilitators to help consumers support CSR
The facts
The implications
Figure 7: VanGo and the red nose
Inform consumers in a straightforward way
The facts
The implications
Figure 8: Low carbon city treasure hunt
CSR can be a key differentiator for start-ups to market themselves
The facts
The implications
Figure 9: Oatly packaging
CSR CASE STUDIES – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
CSR starts to become part of business goals
Hot trends in CSR
It’s time to take a stand
WHAT’S TRENDING? 
Giving CSR clear business goals
CEOs in the spotlight
Rethinking plastic
Animal welfare gets more attention
Companies are expected to take a stand
WHAT WORKS AND WHAT DOESN’T?
When in crisis
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
News is dominant channel for information about CSR
Environment still receives the most attention
Consumers want to get involved in philanthropic work
AWARENESS OF CSR
98% have heard about CSR but only 34% think they know it well
Figure 10: Awareness of corporate social responsibility, October 2018
Consumers in early 20s lag behind others in awareness
Type of organisation also makes a difference
Figure 11: Awareness of csr, by ‘I know it very well’, by selected demographic, October 2018
High interest in knowing about CSR; foreign companies should not rest on their laurels
Figure 12: Attitudes towards corporate social responsibility, October 2018
PROMOTING CSR
Information channels are fragmented
Figure 13: Channels used to learn about csr, October 2018
Key channels to reach consumers
Figure 14: Channels used to learn about csr - turf analysis, October 2018
News channel matters more in lower tier cities
Utilize packaging to communicate CSR
Figure 15: Attitudes towards ‘more raw material information on the packaging will increase my trust in the product’, October 2018
Figure 16: Tide ECO-BOX
IMPORTANT CSR INITIATIVES
Environmental sustainability is of vital priority
Figure 17: CSR initiatives that will make a good impression on brands, October 2018
Caring for employees
More support for gender equality?
Figure 18: Consumers who will have a good impression on brands that support gender equality, by selected demographics, October 2018
KEY ENVIRONMENTAL CLAIMS
Similar interests across categories
Figure 19: Effective environmental claims by category, October 2018
Educate consumers on how to do things better
Figure 20: Attitudes towards environment related statements, October 2018
INTEREST IN PUBLIC WELFARE ACTIVITIES
Only 1% of consumers have no interest in any public welfare activities
Figure 21: Interest in public welfare activities, October 2018
What is the difference by age?
Figure 22: Interest in public welfare activities, by selected demographic, October 2018
Consumers from tier two cities or below are more enthusiastic
Figure 23: Interest in public welfare activities, by selected demographic, October 2018
ATTITUDES TOWARDS CSR
Does CSR matter?
Figure 24: Attitudes towards CSR, October 2018
Is there a trust issue?
Figure 25: Attitudes towards CSR, October 2018
MEET THE MINTROPOLITANS
Social media is an important channel to deliver CSR information to MinTs
Figure 26: Channels used to learn about csr, MinTs vs non-MinTs (as benchmark), October 2018
Protecting environment, complying with laws, and helping the disadvantaged still not enough?
Figure 27: CSR initiatives that will make a good impression on brands, by consumer classification, October 2018
Higher interest in offline activities, suggesting a need for a richer experience
Figure 28: interest in public welfare activities, MinTs and non-MinTs (as benchmark), October 2018
APPENDIX – METHODOLOGY AND ABBREVIATIONS
Methodology
Abbreviations