2013-01-15-世界经济论坛-Engaging_Tomorrow_s_Consumer_17页_3mb

Summary of "Engaging Tomorrow’s Consumer" Report

Background

This 2013 report by the World Economic Forum's Sustainable Consumption initiative, in collaboration with Accenture, addresses the challenge of engaging consumers in sustainable consumption to tackle environmental and social issues, driven by the projected growth of the global middle class.

Key Findings

• Sustainability Makeover: Consumers are often confused or unmotivated by sustainability efforts due to vague messaging and high perceived costs. Businesses should use familiar language, clear incentives, and relevant sustainable choices to激发消费者行为变化.

• Millennials as Key Opportunity: Millennials (born 1981–1995) are receptive to global issues, influential with growing incomes, and heavily influenced by digital media. Urban Asian millennials present the greatest potential for engagement due to their rapid market expansion.

Recommendations

• Strengthen the consumer case for sustainability by making it personal and rewarding.
• Engage marketers by educating them on sustainability's value and linking it to business growth.
• Improve research and development by embedding sustainability criteria.
• Create digital platforms for consumer collaboration and product co-design.
• Activate employees as advocates through incentives and empowerment.
• Quantify outcomes by setting measurable targets for behavioral and business impacts.

Conclusion

The report calls for immediate action by companies to integrate sustainability into their strategies, emphasizing the role of consumers, particularly millennials, in fostering more sustainable lifestyles and business models.