The Futures Company

Camilla Parke writes:

If you were starting to lose faith in your less-than-philanthropic next door neighbour, don’t give up on them just yet – especially if they are Brazilian. Reassuringly, it appears that we are getting better at doing the right thing: A recent global study from PR firm Edelman on consumer attitudes towards social purpose and the role of brands showed that 37% of consumers say they are more involved in good causes then they were 2 years ago.

And it appears that some nations are much more socially conscious than others – compared to the encouraging global average, 63% of Brazilians say they are getting more involved, and according to the study each one is actively supporting an average of just over four social or environmental causes (twice as many as the rest of us).

So what makes Brazilians so socially conscious, and what could this mean for companies that operate there? The disillusionment with government and its inability to address social ills is a significant factor. Some of HCHLVs recent global research on sustainability shows that Brazilian consumers attach importance to social and community issues – and that they expect private companies and brands to do the same.