The Insights industry plays a key role in helping to make the planet a better place through understanding and voicing public opinion. But we should also make sure that we play an active role in making the planet better through our own business activity and by utilizing the talents of our people. This is not something for one company or one country or one industry association to do. Instead it is something that we should all get behind and work together on.
The MRS Sustainability Council was established in 2020 to review the key sustainability issues facing our sector, ensuring the conversation and agenda in the industry remains relevant and impactful. With an ever-increasing number of clients demanding a commitment from suppliers on inclusion and sustainability issues, we need to take these steps before they are forced upon us.
The Council has taken the first step to promote NetZero carbon emissions across the UK market research industry. We did this knowing that the outcome cannot be a UK only outcome, that success means engaging with and helping other industry associations across the world take their first steps too. We made the decision early on to focus on progress over perfection and make things as easy as possible for agencies to join and other associations to spearhead change in their country. The approach the MRS has taken will not be an exact fit for other countries but hopefully can be a useful template for others to create their own movement of agencies’ sustainability efforts.
The MRS NetZero Pledge asks CEOs to make four commitments towards ensuring their organisations are sustainable by 2026. The pledge includes: to be NetZero, publishing carbon emissions, collaborating across the sector and encouraging call outs by employees and clients on environmental concerns. Signers of the Pledge are required to be an MRS Accredited Company Partner.
The drive for sustainability is also needed – and wanted – on an individual level. Conducted in the UK in May 2021, the Insight Climate Collective asked 529 MRS members how they feel about climate change. The webinar highlights details of the survey and is a great springboard for conversation in this area. Key findings include:
- 95% agree/strongly agree that climate change is an urgent issue.
- 92% agree/strongly agree that they worry about the effects we’re having on the planet.
- 88% agree/strongly agree that we’re headed for environmental disaster unless we change our habits quickly.
- 76% think the research industry has the same level of responsibility to address climate change as other service sectors such as banking, consulting or law (6% think much more responsibility).
Overall, many people demonstrate a clear passion for sustainability, but addressing the gap between thought and action necessitates collective effort. If you’re an MRS company partner and would like to sign the NetZero Pledge, please email mrs.ceo@mrs.org.uk. If you’re not a partner but want to start a dialogue surrounding this issue, please contact rhys.hillan@zappistore.com to better understand how you can approach sustainability within your organization.
Steve Phillips (CEO, Zappi)
Rhys Hillan (Meta Researcher, Zappi)
