Attitudes of the British Public to Business Ethics 2020

Publication type: Survey
30 December 2020

Tags: Speak Up, Pay, Tax, Treatment of Employees

The 2020 results of the IBE's annual survey of the attitudes of the British public to business ethics.

For 18 years, we've asked the British public its view on business ethics. This survey inforgraphic shows the attitudes of the British public to business behaviour in 2020.

Slightly more people (59%) believe that British business is behaving ethically since last year (57%). The figure now sits just 3% short of its highest value since the survey began in 2003, when it reached 62% in 2018.

The top three issues concerning the public have remained the same in 2020; tax avoidance, environmental responsibility and executive pay, although evironmental responsiblity has taken second place this year.

Headline findings
  • Men are more likely than women to think that operational ethical issues, such as executive pay and corporate tax avoidance, are in need of addressing.
  • Women are more likely than men to select interpersonal issues including discrimination, bullying and harassment.
  • Compared to other age groups, the youngest respondents (18-34) are more likely to think that discrimination and human rights issues need addressing, while the oldest group (55+) are more likely to select corporate tax avoidance and executive pay.
IBE Survey: Attitudes of the British Public to Business Ethics 2020
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