Welcome to the first issue of Echo! This newsletter provides Earthsense research insights about consumers' actions and attitudes towards environmental and sustainability issues. We hope that you will "recycle" it to identify marketing opportunities.

Got Earthsense?
Bringing Consumers into Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting

By Earthsense Founders Amy Hebard and Wendy Cobrda

What do Whole Foods, Tesla Motors and Lowe’s have that Corporate America craves? Eco-sensibility.

Consumers believe that when they support companies like these, they do more than just shop. They align themselves with businesses that do good things for the environment.

"Manufacturers are taking enough responsibility for their effect on the environment."

But American consumers don’t always see Corporate America doing its fair share. Two out of three believe that manufacturers do not take enough responsibility for the environment and more than one-third say companies "greenwash" their image while continuing to do business as usual.

A corporate image that leans green is more important than ever. When consumers don’t know about – or are skeptical of – a company’s eco-efforts, the bottom line can take the blow. Understanding how your company compares to its competition in terms of eco-perceptions can make a difference at the cash register, on the street and in investment portfolios.

Who Shines Green?

"The Corporate Reality of Consumer Perceptions"--our new "green" paper--highlights company performance via the Earthsense Business Indicator (EBI). EBI is comprised of metrics that identify companies consumers see as sustainability leaders; they also identify businesses consumers support based on eco-friendly products and they track changes in perceptions over time. Companies from eleven industries – 352 businesses in total – are rated in the Eco-Insights Survey conducted by Earthsense to create these metrics.

Companies are ranked by four EBI measures:

1. Company Earthsense: How much do you think sustainability is an important part of how they do business?
2. Product Earthsense: What direct impact on the environment do you think the main products they make or distribute have?
   
3. Investment Attractiveness: How likely would you be to invest in this company?
4. Advocacy: How likely is it that you would recommend this company to a friend or colleague?

Earthsense Top Performers

The Earthsense 35 consists of top ranked companies within and across industries on the four metrics, and includes nine "Standouts" that were top-listed for two or metrics:

EBI Standouts (2 or more times on a "Top 10" EBI List)
Burt’s Bees	Tom’s of Maine
Earthbound Farm	Trader Joe’s
Fresh & Easy	Whole Foods
Google	Yahoo
Kashi

EBI Performers (On a cross-industry "Top 10" EBI List)
Amazon	Publix
Apple	Sinclair
Green Mountain Coffee	Stonyfield Farm
Hain Celestial Group	Target
HEB	United Natural Foods
Kraft Foods	Wal-Mart
Method	Walt Disney
Microsoft	Wegmans
Odwalla

EBI Industry Leaders
Industry Category
CPG Retail	Whole Foods Market *
CPG Non-Food	Tom’s of Maine *
CPG Food	Earthbound Farm *
Automotive	Tesla Motors
Appliances/Electronics	General Electric
Restaurants	Peet’s Coffee & Tea
Internet/Media	Discovery Communications
Specialty Retail	Lowe’s
Home Improvements	Benjamin Moore
Alcoholic Beverages	E&J Gallo
Gas & Fuel	Hess

*Also on one of the cross-industry lists.

As companies implement environmental and sustainability strategies, gauging their impact on consumer perception is key to corporate viability. How green do people think the company and its products are, and how do these perceptions influence viral marketing as well as investment attractiveness?

For more information about how your company or industry rates – or to see if they can be included in 2009 -- please email greenteam@earthsense.com, or call 866 237 9108.

The complete 19 page EBI report is available for downloading – at no cost –here.