Environmental protection key business asset says customer survey

Four out of five customers would act against a company impacting natural World Heritage Sites such as the Great Barrier Reef, finds a new survey by WWF.

The survey, part of the #SOSReef WWF campaign to achieve greater protection for one of the best known World Heritage Sites, the Great Barrier Reef, was carried out in six countries to explore the public’s attitude to these areas.

In the UK, it found that 58% of respondents have a worse opinion of businesses carrying our industrial activities within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Site, and almost as many - 53% – have a worse opinion of the banks and financial institutions that lend to these businesses.

Chris Gee, WWF-UK #SOSReef Campaign Leader, said: “This poll shows that the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value of natural World Heritage Sites like the reef is a high priority for consumers. Businesses that are, or might consider, putting precious natural World Heritage at risk should treat this as a serious business risk.

“WWF also notes that in the UK part of the results, banks and financial institutions that lend to such businesses are considered almost as liable as those they fund. Banks and financial institutions would be wise to find ways to demonstrate to their customers and investors that they are acting to ensure the protection of our natural World Heritage globally.”