To get consumers to engage on sustainability, focus on health
Nearly two-thirds of people want to change their lifestyle to be both healthier and more sustainable. Read More
- Health and sustainability are deeply intertwined in consumers’ minds, with 65 percent of people globally say they want to change their lifestyle to be both healthier and more sustainable.
- The post-pandemic shift toward self-care and well-being means people are most inspired to adopt sustainable behaviors when they’re framed as pathways to personal and family health.
- To drive engagement, organizations should focus on the immediate, tangible health and well-being benefits of sustainable living rather than distant environmental concerns.
If health is the new wealth, data show that could be the best way for brands to engage more with consumers.
According to Trellis data partner GlobeScan’s recent research on healthy and sustainable living, health is now the strongest driver of sustainable behavior change. The desire to be healthier isn’t just compatible with sustainability; it’s the main reason people are open to making more environmentally-friendly choices. When sustainability is positioned as a way to achieve better health, it becomes relevant, actionable and personally meaningful.
Results show that a majority of consumers are motivated by the promise of improved well-being. Only a small fraction (7 percent) are interested in sustainability alone, meaning almost everyone who says they’d like to live a more sustainable lifestyle also claims that they’d like to live in a healthier way. Additional insights from the research support the notion that the most effective engagement strategies for sustainability are those that lead with health and well-being, making the benefits of sustainable choices immediate and relatable.
What this means
For brands, NGOs and governments, the data reveal a strategic opportunity: health isn’t just an added benefit for sustainability but instead may be the primary motivator for sustainable lifestyle changes. With 65 percent of consumers expressing a desire to be both healthier and more sustainable, organizations can anchor their sustainability messages in tangible direct benefits to physical and mental health. By leading with health, organizations can cut through skepticism, apathy and sustainability-related fatigue to reach disengaged audiences and achieve behavior change at scale.
Based on a survey of nearly 32,000 people in the general public conducted July — August 2025.
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