The civil society sector is perceived by consumers as being more environmentally friendly than any other market sector, new research has revealed.

The Sustainability Tracker Study, which monitors the attitudes of UK consumers on environmental issues, found that over a third of adults believe charities are environmentally friendly, with only 3 per cent arguing otherwise.

In terms of advertising mediums, while email is considered the greenest communication route, direct mail is not perceived as potentially environmentally-harmful, ranking seventh on a list of 12 “potential hazards”, according to the survey of more than 2,400 respondents.

There was, however, a distinct difference in reaction to unaddressed and personalised direct mail. Thirty per cent of respondents said that unpersonalised leaflets were “the most harmful to the environment”, in comparison to 17 per cent who viewed addressed mail as damaging. In both categories fewer consumers ranked direct mail the most environmentally harmful of a number of activities, which included discarded gadgetry and plastic bags, than when the same survey was conducted in autumn 2008.

Robert Keitch, chief of membership at the Direct Marketing Association which commissioned the research, said that the tide of public opinion has shifted. “The notion that the direct marketing industry needs to take greater responsibility for its environmental impact is no longer revolutionary, nor is it in dispute. The mounting threat of ever-tougher environmental legislation is a clear sign that it is now time for the industry to take decisive action to meet its environmental obligations.”

Luan Wise, marketing manager at ONEPOST, feels that more is needed to be done to overcome the ‘junk mail’ label associated with some direct mail sent by charities and other types of organisations.

“While this is good news, there is a clear difference in the response between unpersonalised leaflets and personally addressed direct mail,” said Wise. “The industry is working hard to overcome the 'junk mail' tag and these results are promising indicators of our efforts to achieve this.”

The study which took place between December 2009 and January 2010 was commissioned by ONEPOST and carried out by fast.MAP for the Direct Marketing Association.