The levels of awareness and interest in the SDGs differ significantly between the three countries.
＜ TOPICS ＞
- [Japan] The term “SDGs” is widely recognized; however, there is little interest in specific actions, and SDGs have little impact on corporate image and purchasing behavior.
- [USA] The term “SDGs” is not widely recognized; however, there is high interest in specific actions and a willingness to cooperate, such as through ethical consumption.
- [China] Not only is there wide recognition of the term “SDGs”, but the attitude of being actively involved is also pervasive. SDGs have a significant impact on corporate image and purchasing behavior.
Survey outline
| Research name | Comparative Survey of Awareness of the SDGs in Japan, United States and China |
|---|---|
| Target criteria | Common to all three countries: [Gender] Males and females [Age] 15-39 years old [Region] Nationwide |
| Subjects | ● Awareness of the SDGs ● Initial Source of Awareness of the SDGs ● Conscious Gathering of Information About the SDGs ● Information Media Used ● Awareness of Each of the 17 SDGs ● SDGs You Are Interested In ● SDGs You Can Cooperate Towards ● SDGs You Are Actually Addressing ● Impression of Companies Implementing SDG Initiatives ● Impression of Products That Address the SDGs ● Evaluation of Your Country's SDG Initiatives (Score out of 100) ● Your Parents' Generation's Awareness of SDG Initiatives ● Awareness of "Ethical Consumption" ● Consciousness of Ethical Consumption in Everyday Life ● Intention to Purchase Products and Services That Lead to Ethical Consumption |
| Sample size | 900 ss |
| Quota | Equal allocation in country, gender and age |
| Research period | January 21 (Fri) to January 26 (Wed), 2022 |
| Research method | Web questionnaire |
| Research institution | ASMARQ Co., Ltd. |
Respondent attributes
Gender
Age
Marital status
Occupation
Awareness of the SDGs
- Question
-
- Q1. Do you know the SDGs? Please select the one answer that applies. (Select one only)
What are the levels of awareness of the SDGs in the three countries?
There is a high level of awareness of the SDGs in Japan and China.
However, more than half the respondents in these countries responded, "I vaguely know about them" or "I have heard that word before”, which suggests that the level of understanding is not so high in both countries.
The level of awareness of the SDGs in the United States is lower, compared with Japan and China.
Conscious Gathering of Information About the SDGs
- Question
-
- Q3. Are you consciously gathering information about the SDGs? Please select the one answer that applies. (Select one only)
Are people consciously gathering information about the SDGs?
Over half of respondents in the US and China, and a particularly high proportion of 30-39-year-olds in China, are consciously gathering information about the SDGs.
Conscious gathering of information is lower in Japan, compared with the other two countries, suggesting a more passive attitude.
Impression of Companies Implementing SDG Initiatives
- Question
-
- Q9. What is your impression of companies that are promoting and implementing SDG initiatives? (Multiple selections possible)
What is the impression of companies implementing SDG initiatives?
More respondents in Japan than the other two countries, and particularly 20-39-year-olds, do not have any particular impression of companies that are promoting and implementing SDG initiatives. On the other hand, respondents in the US and China tend to have positive impressions of these companies such as "I want to support them" and “trustworthy".
Impression of Products That Address the SDGs
- Question
-
- Q10. What is your impression of products that address the SDGs? (Multiple selections possible)
What is the impression of products that address the SDGs?
Many respondents in China have a positive impression of products that address the SDGs such as "I want to support them" and "I actively want to buy them".
Fewer respondents in Japan and the US responded "I actively want to buy them" compared with China, which suggests that the impact of SDGs on purchasing behavior is not as great in these countries. Many in Japan, and particularly 20-39-year-olds, do not have any particular impression of products that address the SDGs.
Awareness of "Ethical Consumption"
- Question
-
- Q13. Do you know about ethical consumption? Please select the one answer that applies. (Select one only)
What is the level of awareness of the term "ethical consumption"?
Over half of respondents in the USA and China are aware of "ethical consumption". Awareness is particularly high in China at over 90%, which suggests the concept has widely penetrated.
On the other hand, over half of Japanese respondents have never heard of "ethical consumption".
Intention to Purchase Products and Services That Lead to Ethical Consumption
- Question
-
- Q15. After reading the above explanation of "ethical consumption," do you feel that you would like to purchase products and services that lead to ethical consumption? Please select the one answer that applies. (Select one only)
Do people have an intention to purchase products and services that lead to ethical consumption?
Many respondents in China and the US have an intention to purchase products and services that lead to ethical consumption. Intention to purchase is particularly high in China at over 80%.
Intention to purchase is low in Japan, suggesting that respondents are somewhat conservative.
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SDGs is an abbreviation of “Sustainable Development Goals”. Awareness of the SDGs has spread rapidly since they were adopted at a United Nations Summit in September 2015, and even more so since around 2021. The SDGs refer to the goals set by the 193 United Nations member states to be achieved in the 15 years from 2016 to 2030, but how familiar are young people with the SDGs in the first place?
And, what is the level of awareness of the SDGs in the United States and China, compared with in Japan? We conducted a questionnaire survey on subjects in Japan, the United States and China to compare not only the level of awareness of the SDGs, but also “interest in specific actions”, “impressions of companies and products implementing SDG initiatives”, “awareness of ‘ethical consumption'” and “intention to purchase products and services that lead to ethical consumption”, among the three countries.