50 Sustainability Statistics Every Business Should Know in 2026

of consumers say sustainability is important when making purchase decisions

of Millennials say they're willing to pay more for sustainable products

is the most willing generation to pay a premium for sustainable goods

would stop buying from a company that treats the environment poorly

of consumers are belief-driven — they choose, switch, avoid, or boycott brands based on their stand on issues

want brands to help them live more sustainably

of consumers are changing purchase preferences based on the social or environmental impact of a product

increase in Google searches for sustainable goods over recent years — the 'eco-wakening'

atmospheric CO₂ — the highest level in over 3 million years

global average temperature above pre-industrial baseline — 2024 was the first calendar year above 1.5°C

of forest lost every year worldwide (FRA 2020, 2015–2020 period)

trees cut down annually — roughly 475 per second

of plastic enter the world's oceans each year

species are at risk of extinction within decades

globally on record was 2024, surpassing 2023

faster growth for sustainability-marketed products vs conventional ones

median price premium consumers say they're willing to pay for sustainably produced goods

higher EBITDA margins for companies leading on ESG vs peers

of consumers will pay a 35% premium for sustainable, eco-friendly brands

in additional revenue potential from sustainability-marketed CPG by 2030

of CxOs say sustainability is now central to growth strategy

of global consumers say sustainability practices influence their loyalty to a brand

of global consumers say they'd change consumption habits to reduce environmental impact

originally scoped to bring ~50,000 companies into mandatory sustainability disclosure — 2025 Omnibus package narrowed scope to firms with 1,000+ employees

Directive bans unsubstantiated environmental claims — affects every EU-facing brand

carbon pricing instruments now in operation worldwide, generating $100B+ in revenue in 2023

EU Carbon Border Adjustment definitive period starts 1 January 2026; first declaration due 30 September 2027

FCA Policy Statement PS23/16 introduced the anti-greenwashing rule (effective 31 May 2024) and four sustainability investment labels

Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors (Release 33-11275) adopted March 2024, currently under review and legal challenge

peak size of the voluntary carbon market, reached in 2021 — has since contracted

projected voluntary carbon market size by 2030, depending on price scenarios — original high-growth forecast

EU ETS allowance price band — highly volatile, set by daily auctions

per tonne CO₂ for biochar carbon removal credits — CORCCHAR index

per tonne CO₂ for Direct Air Capture (DAC) removal credits — implied by Climeworks / JPMorgan offtake pricing

committed by Frontier (Stripe, Alphabet, Shopify, Meta, McKinsey) over 9 years for durable carbon removal

starting cost of a verified, GPS-tracked tree planted via 1ClickImpact

of consumers are changing purchase preferences based on the social or environmental impact of their choices

of the live e-commerce web runs on WooCommerce — largest single platform

of online shoppers believe retailers should offer eco-friendly shipping options at checkout

of consumers say they'll quit brands they find guilty of greenwashing

in US retail sales linked to products making ESG-related claims — outgrowing conventional peers over 5 years

convert page views into verified impact — no transaction required

of Gen Z & Millennials consider a company's environmental credentials important when evaluating an employer

of employees are more willing to accept a job with an environmentally sustainable organisation

workers who changed jobs accepted a role at an employer they consider environmentally sustainable

of Gen Z & Millennials research a company's environmental credentials before accepting a job

turnover growth for UK B Corps in 2023–2024 vs 17% national SME average

of clean-energy investment needed by the early 2030s to stay on a 1.5°C net-zero path

cumulative cost of climate inaction to the global economy by 2070

targeted by EU Commission and national consumer authorities for misleading greenwashing claims — multi-million-euro penalties in play