Qualitative Insights on What Makes Customers & Companies Go Green
Sustainability, accessibility, and inclusivity have long guided both my personal values and professional goals. Today, these values feel more important than ever. As a business major in undergrad, I often found myself questioning why the weight of sustainability was only carried by nonprofits or eco-specific brands. Imagine the collective impact if every business regardless of size or sector embraced the responsibility, each making small but intentional contributions toward a cleaner planet.
That mindset is one of the reasons I was drawn to join KNow Research —a Green Certified qualitative research agency. While sustainability isn’t the main focus of our work, it’s an intentional part of how we operate, from our eco-conscious facility in San Francisco to how we conduct research connecting brands to their customers.
Our participation in the first annual San Francisco Green Business Expo brought this commitment to life. The event featured an inspiring mix of businesses: architecture firms, organic nail salons, zero-waste product makers, and more. This realized the idea that sustainable practices can thrive across industries. We had the opportunity to speak with both green business owners and event attendees, many of whom were eco-conscious consumers.
Why Businesses Go Green
Businesses make the move toward sustainability for a variety of reasons. Some do it out of necessity to comply with environmental regulations, but many make a proactive choice. For some, it’s about offering eco-friendly alternatives to mainstream products. For others, it’s about creating entirely new, sustainability-focused products or services.
What stood out in our conversations was how businesses listen to their customers. They’re constantly balancing the equation between price, sustainability, and quality. Many told us they were pleasantly surprised by how willing consumers are to adapt and pay a little more for greener options, especially when they feel like their dollars are making a difference.
Why Consumers Shop Green
On the consumer side, we heard a common thread: anxiety about climate change and a desire to take back some control. Many attendees described supporting green businesses as a way to make their everyday choices matter—recycling, composting, using public transit, switching to EVs, and buying from companies that share their values.
But their concerns extended beyond cost; many also mentioned accessibility. From the lack of EV charging infrastructure to the limited availability of sustainable options in certain regions, not everyone has equal access to green solutions. Despite these barriers, the sentiment was clear: small, consistent actions matter, and consumers want to see more companies stepping up to help make those actions easier.
At KNow Research, we’re focused on helping brands connect with the people they serve, whether the topic is sustainability, product/concept testing, brand health or another strategic/research need. We create space for meaningful conversations that help businesses stay aligned with their audiences.
As a Green Certified business, we also take our own environmental responsibility seriously—making thoughtful choices in how we run our facility and research to reduce our impact.
Whether you’re interested in exploring what sustainability means to your customers or want to connect with them on another topic, we’re here to help. We’d be glad to host your next round of customer research, virtually or at our new San Francisco facility.
