Tokyu Agency SDG Planning Unit "POZI Businesspersons' Sustainability Awareness Gap Survey

　(Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Toshiyuki Kosaka) is committed to co-creating value throughout the entire value chain for its customers. POZI, an SDG planning unit that provides sustainability-themed solutions with the aim of achieving the SDGs through the power of communication, conducted a survey of business people to find out the current status of corporate sustainability activities toward the SDG target year approaching 2030, as well as the barriers to future efforts. POZI conducted a survey of businesspersons' awareness of the current status of corporate sustainability activities toward the SDG target year of 2030, as well as the barriers to future efforts.

　POZI has previously surveyed and reported on the level of interest in sustainability among businesspersons and the status of their efforts toward the SDGs. This time, we have newly surveyed and analyzed the details of differences in awareness by company size and position within the company, as well as the perspectives on introducing sustainability items into personnel evaluations, awareness of mandatory ESG information disclosure, and other points that could serve as perspectives for future sustainability activities.

Background and Outline of the Survey

　Various surveys have shown in the past that there is a gap in perception between those in charge of promoting sustainability and other employees as a barrier to sustainability initiatives. However, most of the previous surveys were conducted separately for each position in the organization, and the differences in perceptions among different positions, including management, have not been fully understood. Therefore, we conducted this survey targeting six groups of employees: "large (1,000 or more)" and "medium (100 or more)," by company size, and by position within the company: "promotion staff," "executives/management," and "other general employees.

　Our goal is to contribute to the creation of a positive co-creation strategy at a time when all people and companies are considering actions for the future.

＜Sustainability Awareness Gap Survey of Businesspersons

　The following are five findings from the survey.

Findings 1: Corporate attitudes toward sustainability

　While the gap in awareness between those in charge of sustainability promotion and management is relatively small among large companies, the gap is large among medium-sized companies, indicating that management has not caught up with the awareness of those in charge of sustainability promotion. In addition, the low level of awareness among general employees of medium-sized companies is also notable.

Findings1

Findings2: Views on the Effectiveness and Significance of Corporate Sustainability Initiatives

　The effects and significance of sustainability awareness differed greatly depending on the size of the company and on the position of the respondents.

In general, those in charge of promotion were aware of more effects and significance than others, but those in charge of large companies were particularly aware of "image and good impression," "risk mitigation/avoidance," and "reputation in the financial market," while those in charge of medium companies were aware of "strengthening relationships with existing customers," "employee engagement," and "improving operational efficiency. Characteristic.

　The low level of awareness among the management of medium-sized enterprises is also notable, and may be an issue in internal penetration.

Findings2

Findings3: Views on hurdles in promoting sustainability

　In addition to "Priority in management," "Insufficient budget," and "Lack of recognition by middle management," "Sustainability managers do not know what is going on in the field" were commonly cited by those in charge, regardless of the size of the company, while "Results are unclear," "Top leadership," and "Lack of recognition by management" showed differences in awareness depending on the size of the company, indicating a trend toward a higher level of awareness among those in charge in medium-sized companies. However, there were differences in attitudes toward "unclear results," "top leadership," and "lack of recognition by management" by company size, indicating dissatisfaction with management among medium-sized companies.

Findings3

Findings3 Findings4: Views on the work of the sustainability promotion department

　There is a large difference in awareness between those in charge and others, especially in medium-sized companies, as to whether the work is "necessary for the company's growth" or "work that will become increasingly important in the future. In addition, about 80% of the respondents in charge of the job said that it is "difficult to understand what they do from within the company," and almost a majority of all respondents, including those in charge of the job, agreed (agree + fairly agree) that "it is a job that I would not want to do myself.

Findings4

Findings5: Pros and cons of introducing sustainability items into personnel evaluation

　80% of "management," "managers," and "general employees" answered "yes" or "yes, it should be done" to the question.

　By company size and position within the company, the tendency to reject the introduction of sustainability-related items for general employees was slightly higher, but the majority of respondents still agreed with the idea.

Findings5

Summary of the survey

Impressions of POZI Sustainability Planners

　The survey revealed that, depending on the size of the company and its position, there is a wide gap between the company's perception of its current sustainability activities and its future plans, as well as its perceived barriers to sustainability promotion.

　When we look at this situation from the perspective of corporate branding, we are concerned that companies are not unified in their approach to sustainability, which is also an important element of corporate branding. This is not only an issue related to one aspect of "promotion of sustainability," but also a major problem that could obscure the overall image of corporate branding.

　Recently, there has been a noticeable movement to link the disclosure and dissemination of sustainability information to corporate branding, but if such a gap is left unaddressed within a company, there is a risk that it could confuse the corporate branding itself.

　The results of this survey (awareness gap between those in charge of promotion, general employees, and management) are not necessarily applicable to all companies, but in order to promote effective internal penetration toward the 2030 SDG target year and the post-SDGs, it is necessary to improve the current situation where the intention and recognition of sustainability measures differ depending on the position of the respondents. However, in order to promote effective internal penetration of the SDGs and post-SDGs, it is necessary to improve the current situation in which different positions have different intentions and perceptions of sustainability.

　In addition, we have prepared and provided a "Summary of Survey Results" that summarizes the results of various other questions that we believe will be useful in promoting sustainability within companies. We hope that this survey will help you to review your company's sustainability goals and promotion system with your employees, including management, to ensure that they are in line with your company's sustainability goals. Tokyu Agency POZI also provides original services such as "V-WAYS for SDGS," which is ideal for unifying internal awareness, building consensus among departments, and developing sustainability leaders. Please also consider our other services.

POZI Sustainability Planner

About POZI

　POZI is the SDGs planning unit within Tokyu Agency. POZI aims to contribute to the promotion of sustainability throughout a company by providing internal communication programs for brand building and sustainability strategies, as well as a variety of unique services.

　This survey is only a small part of what we have to offer. Please contact POZI for a detailed report, analysis of past data, or a variety of other services.

https://pozi.jp/

Examples of services offered