ESG Research - Sustainability issues study

Objectives

• Explore sustainability and ESG perspectives across multiple stakeholder groups
• Gather insight from expert audiences including NGOs, regulators, academia, media, and consultancies
• Understand how business decision-makers approach supplier management and sustainability policy
• Compare stakeholder and consumer perspectives across ESG-related topics

Methodology

This study combined qualitative and quantitative approaches across several audience groups. Expert respondents were recruited through targeted digital outreach, while selected high media-consuming consumers were interviewed by phone. All interviews were approximately 15 minutes in length. The programme included expert interviews, B2B interviews with business decision-makers, and consumer interviews in the USA and Canada

Challenge

The study required engagement with a highly diverse set of stakeholder groups, each with different levels of familiarity, influence, and engagement with ESG issues. Combining expert, business, and consumer audiences into one coherent programme also required careful targeting and a methodology flexible enough to capture both specialist and mainstream perspectives.

How RONIN approached it

RONIN combined targeted digital recruitment for expert audiences with phone interviewing for selected consumer and business respondents. This approach made it possible to reach specialist participants across multiple sectors while also building a broader public and commercial view of ESG-related attitudes. Structured audience definitions and quota management helped ensure balanced coverage across the different respondent groups.

Results

The study provided the client with a multi-layered view of sustainability and ESG issues across expert, business, and consumer audiences. By bringing together these different perspectives, RONIN delivered a more rounded evidence base for understanding stakeholder expectations, public attitudes, and business decision-making in relation to ESG topics.