A new report from Human8 and Space Doctors has revealed two-thirds of Australian consumers are looking for brands to move beyond traditional sustainability and towards 'reversing' the damage already done.

The finding comes from the annual What Matters 2024 Report, which underscores the urgent need for brands to adapt to evolving Australian consumer insights. The report found 67% of Australian respondents advocating for a move beyond traditional sustainability towards 'reversing' the damage already done, a concept known as regenerative sustainability.

Regenerative sustainability, as the report outlines, extends beyond environmental considerations to include people and communities.

The study, which surveyed 13,028 consumers across 17 markets, including 801 consumers in Australia, in October-November 2023, revealed several key Australian insights. Nearly eight in 10 (79%) Australians believe brands should shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding the future of our planet. The report showed 71% of respondents are worried about the state of the planet for future generations, 67% believe drastic changes are needed to our lifestyles, and 70% believe they can't make the world a better place on their own, brands need to help too.

"The key takeaway is that most Australians no longer believe the status-quo mindset when it comes to the state of our environment and our communities is sufficient," Human8 Australia Senior Business Director, Matthew Jorgensen, stated. "With regenerative sustainability, brands are challenged to foster a more harmonious relationship between commerce and caring for our people and planet. A healthy environment and social equity are interconnected components of a truly sustainable and regenerative future."

In addition, only 1 in 10 Australian consumers can confidently state they have a sustainable lifestyle, while 77% say brands need to provide more information about sustainability efforts. What's more, 43% say brands that don’t communicate about sustainability aren’t sustainable. Price (57%), availability (42%) and education (37%) of/on sustainable options would help consumers adopt a more sustainable lifestyle.

The report also recommends flipping the script on diversity and inclusion, with 43% stating fighting dominant norms and labels used in society is draining and ineffective. As a result, they believe it is better to just let go and create your own way of doing things.

Space Doctors APAC Managing Director, Maya Madhusoodan, said it started the 2024 Do What Matters journey by developing a cultural framework of positive transformation.

"This model revealed the four main dimensions of positive change that all brands should be aware of. These dimensions provide the context for a further eight cultural codes of transformation - meaningful and actionable paths to adopting a regenerative mindset and identifying powerful, systemic solution," he said.