In their 2010 Good Purposes report (download here), Edelman conduct 7000 interviews across multiple countries to understand consumer sentiment as it related to the role of business and sustainability.

It was a report, sponsored by Pepsi, that was high lined by a convincing statistic that “86% of global consumers believe that business needs to place at least equal weight on society’s interests as on business’ interests., and throughout the report supporting data helps to build the case that this figure is indeed one that should be compelling firms to change their ways. Or at least, that their consumer base is expecting them to change their ways.

However, it was the graphic above that really caught my eye.

A quick look at the chart, and it should come as no surprise that consumers view government and corporations as having the most responsibility to do something, with “people like me” coming in third. And while the 10% drop in government responsibility may be a shocking number, it should not be any surprise given the failure that was COP15, and general belief that COP16 will likely offer little more

Where I was surprised though was that only 2% of respondents felt that academia should be in the lead. That while government leaders and corporate titans are, largely, being educated in education institutions, there seems to be little connection among consumers of the potential for academic institutions to become the change agents.

Perhaps it is a matter of the average “consumer” answering the question in a way to reflect their beliefs of who should do something NOW, or perhaps there is a complete disconnect between the perceived role of an academic and their influence on a leader over the long term. Perhaps the respondents don’t understand the role of academics, and their role in policy making.

Either way this surprised me, and as I spend more time teaching to my students and speaking in front of student groups I come to understand the power that academics have going forward. That, if the goal really is to develop a sustainable change, it will require academic institutions to be a key stakeholder and change agent.