TORONTO, April 11, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new survey from Onyen Corporation, an ESG reporting software company, asked investors and consumers to weigh in on numerous topics related to a strong and fair economy and a just society.
Beyond Environment, the second study by Onyen this year, comes in the wake of last month’s report asking 1,506 Canadians several questions focused on the environment and supply chains. Released today, the Beyond Environment leg of the survey focused on the S in ESG – specifically social sustainability.
“There is a rising demand for businesses to focus on social factors to ensure that both companies, and society, are socially equitable and sustainable. These sensibilities are reflected in our survey,” said Laurie Clark, founder and CEO of Onyen.
Here are the notable findings:
- Beyond environment: 83 per cent of Canadians feel “sustainability should also take into account a healthy economy and a fair/just society.” Women (87%) are more likely to feel this way than men (78%).
- Business diversity: Seven-in-10 Canadians (70%) say “it’s important to buy from or invest in companies with strong policies related to labour, diversity and inclusion, and equitable salaries for women and minorities.” Women (78%) are significantly more likely to feel this way than men (61%).
- Spotlight on social equity: 62 per cent of Canadians agree that “COVID-19 and recent social justice movements highlight the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in all aspects of our society.” Women (70%) are significantly more likely to feel this way than men (52%).
“Recent events and social movements have created greater investor and consumer concern toward social issues,” said Clark. “Amid this growing sentiment, companies will need to consider their ESG strategies and reporting to ensure greater access to capital as well as their ongoing viability.”
The S in ESG
Social issues are global issues. They can include equal pay and equal rights (for women, women of colour and minorities), Indigenous land rights, human rights across the supply chain, and health and safety in mining in places such as Burkina Faso, to name a few.
About the Beyond Environment Survey
From February 22 to February 24, 2023, an online survey was conducted among a nationally representative sample of n=1,506 Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum, balanced and weighted on age, gender, region and education. For comparison purposes, a sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/- 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding. The survey was offered in both English and French.
About Onyen
Onyen Corporation is a global technology company providing software solutions for the simplification and automation of sustainability reporting for improved access to capital.
Onyen helps companies better capture, monitor, benchmark, manage and report their environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities with real-time reporting displayed on the Executive Dashboard and ESG Scorecards. With all relevant standards and frameworks built in, this solution generates auditable ESG reports for directors, CEOs, sustainability professionals, capital providers, rating agencies and regulators.
For media inquiries or interview requests:
Lynda Trudell
MAVERICK Public Relations
M 289-230-4435 | lynda@wearemaverick.com
