The study “The Perception of Sustainable Development by Europeans” conducted in 16 countries highlights that Italian citizens' interest in SDGs and sustainable consumption is higher than the European average
Sustainability remains a fundamental value for European citizens and, to an even greater extent, for Italian citizens. This is what emerges from the new study “The Perception of Sustainable Development by Europeans,” conducted by the European Country Networks of the UN Global Compact and presented on September 24 in New York, during a side event of the Leaders Summit 2025.
The Italian Network of the UN Global Compact, led by President Filippo Bettini, contributed to the study and took part in its international launch event. The survey, conducted on 13,000 people in 15 European countries and in the UK, shows that 80% of Europeans on average – and 85% of Italians – believe that sustainable development should be a priority in the political agenda of governments.
Younger respondents aged between 18 and 44 are more likely to consider sustainability a priority, but support remains significant also among older age groups, albeit with a tendency to consider it non-essential. Only a small minority (less than 10%) think that governments and the European Union should focus on different issues.
Towards the UN 2030 Agenda
The study reveals that 75% of European respondents believe that governments and companies should allocate more resources towards implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out in the UN 2030 Agenda. These figures reinforce the perception that sustainability is increasingly becoming a cross-cutting issue for all social actors. In Italy, the demand is even stronger: 80% of Italians call for a stronger commitment from institutions and 79% from businesses, while 36% believe that the SDGs can be achieved by 2030.
Consumption and regulation
80% of Europeans declare that they take sustainability into account in their purchasing decisions, but only 27% always do so, while 53% say that this criterion only occasionally influences their choices. In Italy, the focus is even stronger: 55% of citizens consider sustainability an important factor when making purchases, thus exceeding the European average. This is a structural change: sustainability is no longer perceived as an accessory factor, but as a variable that sometimes prevails over traditional criteria.
There is also broad support for regulation, especially in southern Europe. In this context, Italy stands out for its consensus in favor of stricter rules: 87% of citizens (compared to the European average of 85%) consider them crucial, while at the same time calling for simplification and less bureaucracy.
Businesses: between opportunity and mistrust
Almost half of Europeans recognize that businesses have a positive impact, especially in terms of workers' rights (47%), followed by human rights and environmental protection (43%). However, trust declines significantly when it comes to the fight against corruption, with only 35% expressing a positive opinion. In Italy, the picture is more critical: only 36% believe that businesses have a positive impact on sustainability, with recognition concentrated mainly on labor issues.
In any case, the belief that sustainability is a competitive factor prevails: seven out of ten Europeans consider sustainability a strategic driver for businesses, a percentage rising to 75% in Italy.
Similar confidence is also found in terms of innovation: 69% of Europeans and 68% of Italians believe that artificial intelligence can contribute to sustainable progress.
“The figures collected confirm that Italian citizens show a sensitivity to sustainability that is above the European average” said Daniela Bernacchi, Executive Director of UN Global Compact Network Italy. “This is a sign that must be transformed into an opportunity for our country to take a leading role in the transition towards more equitable, inclusive, and environmentally friendly models. With five years to go until 2030, it is necessary to remain vigilant: according to the United Nations Progress Report 2025, 18% of sustainable development goals are on track, 48% are progressing moderately or marginally, and 35% are stagnating or regressing. The study notes that only 139 of the 169 targets in the 2030 Agenda have been measured correctly since 2015. Of these, 35% show adequate progress, but 48% are progressing insufficiently. To bridge the SDGs gap, additional investments of approximately $4 trillion per year would be needed. A concrete, measurable commitment shared by institutions, businesses and civil society is essential. We hope that this report will serve as a reference tool for policymakers, companies, and citizens to guide choices and investments. The European Union remains an essential point of reference, but success will depend, above all, on the involvement of the private sector, which must interpret sustainability as a lever for competitiveness, innovation, and transparency," concluded Bernacchi.
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Methodological note on the study
The research methodology is based on a representative sample of 13,000 European citizens from 16 countries, including 15 European Union member states with a UNGC Country Network (Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden) and the United Kingdom.
The sample was divided into 1,000 or 500 respondents per country, depending on the size of the population. Data was collected via an online survey distributed by Kantar, with representative national quotas based on gender, age, occupation, and area of residence. The research guarantees a 95% confidence interval.
The research process included several stages:
- April 24 to June 6, 2025: design of the common survey and translation into all languages
- June 14 to 16, 2025: preliminary launch on a small sample
- June 19 to 23, 2025: data collection on the full sample
- June 23 to September 24, 2025: analysis and drafting of the report
It is important to note that the results and opinions reflect those of the Country Networks participating to the study, and not necessarily those of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC).
