Ontario Responsible Consumption Index 2012

Description

Ontario Responsible Consumption Index 2012: Abstract

Ontario Responsible Consumption Index 2012 was created by Fabien Durif and Caroline Boivin.

For an number of years now, the majority of academic and professional studies have pointed to consistent progress in the matter of responsible consumption:

• Social and environmental challenges have attracted considerable media coverage in recent years
• The supply of socially responsible (SR) goods and services has expanded rapidly as has the importance of these concerns in the minds of some consumers

What is the situation in Ontario?

• Today, we know little about the responsible consumption habits of Ontarians. Few studies have been conducted in this field and it is difficult to assess the magnitude of the phenomenon given the contradictory nature of the evaluation measures employed.
• Shortcomings are numerous:
  • Measurements do not allow for exhaustive, consistent evaluation of responsible consumption behaviour
  • Certain measurements based solely upon attitudes and purchase intentions tend to skew social desirability. So, there is an absence of stability respecting responsible consumption findings.
• In 2010, the team at the Responsible Consumption Observatory (RCO) implemented a technique for measuring responsible consumption in Québec (Responsible Consumption Barometer for Québec published in Protégez-Vous magazine). The team proposes an initial measurement of responsible consumption in Ontario. The 2012 Ontario Responsible Consumption Index (ORCI).

Table of contents

• Why the Ontario Responsible Consumption Index?
• ORCI: Methodology and calculation procedure
• ORCI 2012 under the microscope
• Ranking of responsible goods and services most consumed by Ontarians
• Ontario consumer profiles: Impediments and motivations relating to responsible consumption
• Ontarians tending te be green but skeptical
• What does the study teach us?

For who?

In addition to obvious educational and awareness aspects of decided interest to the citizenship and public authorities, ORCI is also an important tool for managers as it provides a detailed portrait of responsible consumption behaviour and enables public/private organizations at home and abroad, including non-profit organizations, to tailor their marketing and/or communications strategies to the dictates of the responsible consumption market.