Methodology
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What is Sustainable Brand Index™?
Sustainable Brand Index™ is Europe’s largest independent brand study on sustainability, founded in 2011 by SB Insight in Sweden. Sustainable Brand Index™ measures the sustainability perception of brands across industries and countries. It is an independent study consisting of over 1 600 brands, 36 industries, 80 000 consumer interviews across Europe (the Nordics, the Netherlands & the Baltics). In doing so, Sustainable Brand Index™ shows how brands are perceived within sustainability, why they are perceived this way, and what to do about it. Next to yearly brand rankings and official reports, Sustainable Brand Index™ provides brands with data-driven sustainability insights, tailored analysis, and strategic recommendations.
Based on macro and micro trends, consumer behaviours, and brand analysis, the study seeks answers to the following questions:
How does sustainability affect brands?
How are brands perceived within the different areas of sustainability and why?
What can brands do to change and improve this perception?
What are the consumers’ attitudes and behaviours regarding sustainability, how do they change over time, and how do they affect brands?
Which future trends and developments within sustainability do brands need to be aware of and respond to?
Is there a correlation between a brand’s perceived environmental and social sustainability performance/work and general brand preference?
Every year, Sustainable Brand Index™ results in:
Rankings
Our yearly brand rankings show how brands are perceived on sustainability by their important stakeholders. Brands are selected independently based on market share, turnover and general brand awareness.
Official Reports
Our official reports contain the complete ranking of each country over time, accompanied with key sustainability insights and stakeholder data.
Tailored Insights & Analysis
We provide brands with brand-specific data insights, tailored analysis, and strategic tools. Our unique data and sustainability insights help brands understand how they are perceived within sustainability, why they are perceived this way and how to build a more sustainable brand. Each year, we provide brands internationally with tailored sustainability insights that help them in their target-setting and strategic work, as well as external and internal communication.
How long has Sustainable Brand Index™ existed?
The study started in 2011 and is conducted annually in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and the Netherlands. Also, for the first time in 2020, the study was conducted in Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania. Our ambition is to grow the study to as many countries as possible to create a relevant overall image of the market for sustainability.
What is the purpose of Sustainable Brand Index™?
The purpose of Sustainable Brand Index™ is to drive the agenda, visualise the value of sustainable branding and increase the knowledge on sustainability within branding and communication. Based on data-driven insights, Sustainable Brand Index™ is able to identify important gaps between how brands think they are perceived on sustainability and the reality. By analysing important trends, mapping stakeholders’ attitudes and behaviours and evaluating several materiality areas, the study provides brand-specific data and strategic tools.
In doing so, Sustainable Brand Index™ encourages brands to improve their work and dares them to communicate about sustainability. The more brands talk about sustainability, the more consumers will know, care and demand. It creates a positive cycle for transparency and sustainability. Together we are on a mission to create sustainable brands.
What does Sustainable Brand Index™ measure?
Sustainable Brand Index™ measures how brands are perceived on sustainability. Thus, we do not measure the actual level of sustainability operations and its performance in this study. The perception of each actor’s sustainability efforts is largely based on the consumers’ gut feeling, but in some cases also on their knowledge. In summary, we measure how much or how little the consumers know about each actor’s sustainability responsibility as well as how they value each actor’s sustainability responsibility.
Who is behind Sustainable Brand Index™?
Sustainable Brand IndexTM was founded in 2011 by the Swedish insight agency SB Insight. Sustainable Brand Index™ is an independent study, owned and run entirely by SB Insight. The company is based in Sweden and is privately owned by its employees. SB Insight finances Sustainable Brand Index™ 100%.
How is Sustainable Brand Index™ financed?
SB Insight finances Sustainable Brand Index™ 100%.
Is there a risk that the study encourages greenwashing?
We do not think so. Instead, we can see that the study has the opposite effect. In fact, using branding and communication as a driver for sustainability is one of the purposes of the study. The more companies communicate about sustainability and their work, the higher the interest for these issues becomes amongst the consumers. When interest increases, the consumers’ knowledge about company operations in this field also increases. When consumers know more, they have higher demands. Therefore, it becomes increasingly risky from the companies’ point of view, to be perceived as sustainable but to not deliver. We see it as a positive cycle.
How are brands selected?
The selection of brands in the study is independently selected by SB Insight and is based on three main parameters: activity on the market of the country, turnover & market share and general brand awareness.
The purpose of these criteria is to create a selection that mirrors the brands that consumers meet in their everyday life. The selection is primarily focused on corporate brands but is also complemented with product brands based on market share and general brand awareness, which is relevant to create a justified image of each industry respectively. Brands cannot choose to be included or excluded from the study and the annual results of Sustainable Brand Index™ are open to the public.
Can a company pay to be included in Sustainable Brand Index™?
No. Brands cannot choose to be included or excluded from the study and the annual results of Sustainable Brand Index™ are open to the public. We choose brands independently and based on the criteria mentioned before. Brands within the selection frame can buy tailored insights and reports. However, it is not possible to pay to be included in the study.
How many brands are included in Sustainable Brand Index™?
We add new brands every year as we expand the study. This is the current number of brands in each country, chosen based on the parameters mentioned later below.
The number of Brands in Sustainable Brand Index™ 2024
Sweden
Norway
Denmark
Finland
The Netherlands
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Total
432
282
253
243
223
50
50
84
1617
Which industries are included in Sustainable Brand Index™?
In the table below, all industries included in Sustainable Brand Index™ 2024 are listed based on country/region. The differences in industries between the countries depends on the selection of brands in each country and on cultural differences between the markets. From the very beginning, the industries in Sustainable Brand Index™ were selected based on GICS – the Global Industry Classification Standard. However, as the study grew and the number of brands increased, it was difficult to stick to this fairly narrow definition.
Today, industries are chosen based on how frequent they are in consumers’ lives and how important they are considered to be for the transition to a sustainable world. This means that everything from pure consumption-oriented industries such as food, clothes & fashion, home appliances & consumer electronics, and interior design, to what can be called more society-oriented industries. The latter consists of, for example, caregivers, authorities and forest owners. Industries that play a major role in people’s lives in different ways. Since the purpose of Sustainable Brand Index™ is to highlight sustainability and drive the agenda in society, it is of great importance to examine these industries as well.
Overview of the industries:
SWEDEN
Airlines
Automotive
Banks
Beauty
Beverage
Clothes & fashion - brands
Clothes & fashion - stores
Consumer goods corporations
Digital services
E-commerce
Electricity & heating
Food
Forest owners
Fuel
Furniture & decoration - brands
Furniture & decoration - stores
Gambling & lottery
Governmental institutions
Grocery stores
Healthcare providers
Hobby & leisure
Home appliances & Electronics - Brands
Home appliances & Electronics - Stores
Hotels
Hygiene & cleaning
Insurance
Opticians
Parcels & logistics
Pension
Pharmacies
Real estate
Restaurants, cafes & take-away
Telecommunications
Transport
Travel & tourism
Vehicle inspection & service
NORWAY
Airlines
Automotive
Banks
Beauty
Beverage
Clothes & fashion - brands
Clothes & Fashion - stores
Consumer goods corporations
E-commerce
Electricity & heating
Food
Fuel
Furniture & decoration
Grocery stores
Hobby & leisure
Home appliances & electronics
Hotels
Insurance & pension
Parcels & logistics
Passenger transport
Pharmacies
Restaurants, cafes & take-away
Telecommunications
Transport
Travel & Tourism
Other
DENMARK
Airlines
Automotive
Banks
Beauty
Beverage
Clothes & fashion - brands
Clothes & fashion - stores
Consumer goods corporations
E-commerce
Electricity & heating
Food
Fuel
Furniture & Decoration
Grocery stores
Hobby & leisure
Home appliances & electronics - brands
Home appliances & electronics - stores
Hotels
Hygiene & cleaning
Insurance & pension
Parcels & logistics
Passenger transport
Restaurants, cafes & take-away
Telecommunications
Transport
Travel & tourism
FINLAND
Airlines
Automotive
Banks
Beauty
Beverage
Clothes & fashion - brands
Clothes & fashion - stores
Consumer goods corporations
E-commerce
Electricity & heating
Food
Fuel
Furniture & decoration - brands
Furniture & decoration - stores
Grocery stores
Hobby & leisure
Home appliances & electronics
Hotels
Hygiene & cleaning
Insurance & pension
Parcels & logistics
Passenger transport
Pharmacies
Restaurants, cafes & take-away
Telecommunications
Transport
Travel & tourism
NETHERLANDS
Airlines
Automotive
Banks
Beauty
Beverage
Clothes & fashion
Consumer goods corporations
Digital
E-commerce
Energy
Food
Furniture & decoration
Grocery stores
Health insurance
Hobby & leisure
Holiday parks
Hotels
Mobility
Pharmacies
Restaurants, Cafes & Take-away
Telecommunications
Travel & Tourism
Other
ESTONIA, LATVIA, LITHUANIA
Agriculture*
Banks
Clothes & Fashion (Stores)*
E-commerce*
Electricity & Heating
Food & Beverage
Fuel
Grocery Stores
Parcel/Delivery*
Pharmacies
Telecommunications
Transport/Travel
*Only in Lithuania
How is data collected?
Sustainable Brand Index™ is an independent study, based on desk research and two main quantitative web-surveys. Each brand is assessed by at least 1 000 respondents.*
The average length of the surveys is approximately 10 minutes
In accordance with our policy, we do not use panels that are self-recruited
In the surveys, we set quotas for gender, age and geography
In a final step, the data is weighted for further fine-tuning
*In Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania, each brand has been randomly assessed by at least 800 respondents.
What does the ranking in Sustainable Brand Index™ show?
The ranking shows how sustainable the different brands are perceived to be, according to the consumers in each country. The ranking consists of two main parts; one that is called environmental responsibility, and one that is called social responsibility. The final score for each brand is an aggregate of the brand’s perception within these two areas. The score is assembled through a top box-method. This means that we only look at the share of positive consumers. Thus, the share that is positive towards a brand’s environmental responsibility + the share that is positive towards a brand’s social responsibility = the ranking score. Therefore, the maximum score in the ranking is 200%.
How is the target audience in Sustainable Brand Index™ defined?
The target audience in each of the surveys is the general public, 16-75 years, in each country.
How do you choose the respondents?
The respondents come from so-called consumer panels belonging to a subcontractor. The panels thus consist of regular citizens in each country that have been recruited to answer questions at even and uneven intervals. Respondents are recruited through requests made on websites on the internet (either on news sites or in connection with an online purchase). We do not work with self-recruited panels, i.e. panels made up of people who themselves have signed up to answer questions.
The respondents who then answer the questions in Sustainable Brand Index™ are randomly selected from the mentioned panels. We use quotas to achieve a nationally representative sample of the target population. This means that, even before we ask questions, we decide that there must be a certain distribution of respondents, based on gender, age and geography (to reflect the population of each country).
Do you use the same respondents every year?
No, it is not the same respondents every year. It is important not to have the same respondents to avoid distortion of the results. For example, if we use the same respondents every year, they become "experts" on the questions we ask. We want answers from ordinary consumers, not just people who are knowledgeable about sustainability.
How many respondents are interviewed in Sustainable Brand Index™?
In 2024, 80 000 respondents have been interviewed. These respondents are spread across all countries in the study (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania). Each respondent receives a completely random selection of brands to avoid systematic errors in the study.
The number of respondents in Sustainable Brand Index™ 2024
Sweden
Norway
Denmark
Finland
The Netherlands
The Baltics
In total
29 000
13 000
12 000
12 000
12 000
2500
80 500
When are the interviews in Sustainable Brand Index™ 2024 conducted?
The different steps in the study are conducted during November 2023- February 2024.
How Is Sustainability defined in Sustainable Brand Index™
The basis for the ranking in Sustainable Brand Index ™ is the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs). The evaluation is done on an overarching level with the goals as a basis for the definition. In addition, the ranking is only the tip of the iceberg in the study. We also look at consumers’ perception of what sustainability is/means to them and their expectations and demands on companies & brands. Furthermore, the study digs deep within specific focus areas relevant to each industry.
How has the size of Sustainble Brand Index™ evolved over the years?
RESPONDENTS
3 000
8 000
18 000
25 000
27 000
30 000
36 000
44 400
50 000
58 757
61 960
69 850
80 500
80 500
YEAR
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
BRANDS
151
200
450
636
709
750
940
1064
1148
1373
1446
1508
1549
1616