The increasingly visible consequences of climate change are slowly challenging the criteria for evaluating progress in the minds of French decision makers. Clearly, the climate emergency now raises the question of economic growth, long perceived as the alpha and omega of progress.
This is one of the conclusions of the latest edition of the Barometer* of decision makers prepared by Viavoice for HEC Paris, le figaro and BFM Business.
Thus, more than 6 executives out of 10 (63%) believe that the climate emergency calls into question the relevance of growth as the only indicator of economic health. A proportion similar to that observed among the general public.
A less refractory opinion to the idea of moderating growth
As a result, 60% of executives believe that global warming should encourage economic players and households to move towards stagnation, or even a reduction in the economic wealth produced. “A sign of a public opinion that is also less refractory than one might imagine to the idea of moderating growth,” they continue.
While 50% of decision makers believe that their company is “committed” to these issues (64% believe that it has been “even more” committed for three years), only 37% of executives say that their company or organization has implemented transformations. or adaptations to deal with global warming.
In most cases (55%), the goal is to reduce energy consumption. Then comes the limitation of waste production (48%), raising awareness among employees (44%) or offering less polluting daily transport (30%).
Companies engaged but stocks are struggling to keep going
However, the study shows that 28% of decision makers say that their company has not implemented any transformation or adaptation and that “this is not a priority”.
More generally, despite economic and social tensions, decision-maker morale remains good, with a score of -24 in July, the highest level since spring 2022 (compared to -25 in June). A quarter of decision makers believe that the standard of living will improve in France in the coming months and 30% that unemployment will continue to fall in the coming months.
*Interviews conducted online from July 11 to 18, 2023 on a sample of 401 decision makers, representative of the population of executives residing in metropolitan France. Representativeness ensured by the quota method, applied to the following criteria: gender, age, public sector or private sector.
Source: BFM TV
