Will the Covid-19 pandemic change peoples’ opinions about business responsibility? The future is by no means clear. On the one hand, the pandemic seems to be accelerating the transition towards a sustainable economy and creating alternative forms of doing business. If this continues, the pandemic might break old routines and ultimately generate new ways of thinking. On the other hand, the pandemic seems to also be slowing down and even preventing support for business responsibility. In fact, the pandemic and its social and economic consequences seem like it is making it harder to mobilize the necessary resources to facilitate change, leading to a perpetuation of the status quo.

Which outcome is more likely? What will citizens, consumers and employees expect from businesses as we move through this pandemic and into the future?

We conducted a survey before and during the Covid-19 pandemic to understand its affect on Swiss citizens’ opinions and demands concerning business responsibility, and, specifically, the Responsible Business Initiative (“Initiative multinationales responsables” or “Konzernverantwortungsinitiative”).”