Survey: 64% of regional consumers will opt for environmentally friendly products and services

• 85% believe individual choices can collectively impact environmental progress
• Yet only 1 in 10 invest in green sectors

Survey results suggest that consumers in Southeast Asia are optimistic about their ability to create a significant impact on the environment through their consumption behaviour. Most respondents also agreed that their actions mattered even if they were not able to observe how they impacted the environment.

The 'Invest in Our Planet' Earth Day 2023 Survey gathered responses from 4800 individuals; 800 each from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Most respondents however opted for individual consumer action over an investment approach. When asked which of multiple actions individuals could take to support environmental sustainability, a lifestyle change was the most favoured approach, with investments into green funds or bonds coming in last among a choice of 7 actions.

The survey also revealed that 11% of respondents in Southeast Asia are actively making green investments. Among the countries surveyed, Malaysia is at the forefront of the green finance movement with the highest proportion of green investors at 17%, while Thailand had the lowest at only 6%. 70% of respondents who have backed green investments have increased their allocation in the last 2 years.

For those who do invest, concerns about protecting the environment for future generations were cited as the top reason for allocating funds to the green sector, along with advice from financial advisors and tax incentives also influencing their decisions to a lesser extent.
When asked to state their confidence in the performance and stability of green investments, however, 60% said they were 'somewhat confident' with only 28% stating that they were ‘very confident’.
As for the specific sectors of interest, most respondents chose Renewable energy as the top choice, followed by waste management and green transportation.

Investors cited top motivators that would influence their decisions to allocate more funds towards green projects: positive environmental impact (76%), improved market stability (48%), regulations on green reporting, higher financial returns and government incentives (39% each).
The survey was conducted by consumer research and data analytics company, Milieu Insight.