88% of respondents (all of which are financial services practitioners) viewed the ‘environment’ as a low to medium priority.

But this wasn’t seen as a permanent situation with 67% agreeing that this would change within the next 18 months to 2 years… and 82% seeing it becoming a higher priority.

Some of the main findings were as follows:

• Cost savings and marketing efficiencies are a primary focus but are felt to be complimentary to ‘green’ initiatives

• Best practice direct marketing techniques are a win for the business, the customer and the environment

• The focus (at the moment) is the credit crunch but this is only short term – green considerations will always be part of the mix

• Certain suppliers play a key role in supporting and moving organisations down the environmental path.

Colin McDougall, Sun Life Direct (part of AXA) comments:

“Two distinct facts have emerged from the findings of this debut study.  Firstly the priority attached to the environment varies from company to company, but rarely ranks higher than third on the corporate agenda.  However, it is evident that addressing the effects of the credit crunch has pushed the environment down the ‘to-do list’ for almost every company; if the recession had not hit, then it is highly likely that the environment would be afforded greater priority.  Secondly, it seems that attitudes vary wildly as to the perceived cost of modifying business practices, as well as to the net value to the company of making these changes.”