U.S. CEOs Overwhelmingly Concerned about Climate

GreenBiz

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 6, 2006 - Nearly two in three Chief Executive Officers of American small and medium-sized businesses expressed concern about the prospects of global warming, according to the latest Vistage Confidence Index, a quarterly measure of economic, market and industry trends.

Sixty-four percent of the nearly 2,000 CEOs responding to the survey were very concerned or moderately concerned about global warming, while 36 percent were not concerned. The findings come amidst heightened efforts by California and other states to enact stricter regulations on greenhouse emissions, a move that has triggered concerns from the business community regarding impact to energy prices and jobs.

"The issue of global warming is clearly a concern among American executives," said Dan Barnett, Chief Operating Officer of Vistage International, the world's largest CEO membership organization. "The question is whether that concern will translate to the willingness to support legislation and regulatory requirements that impact their businesses."

Only seven percent of CEOs cited rising energy costs as the most important issue facing their business. Nearly 70 percent said that recent summer heat waves have had no impact on their business, although 25 percent reported a minor negative impact, presumably in the form of higher energy bills.

U.S. small and mid-sized businesses represent the most vital component of the nation's economy. This sector creates 75 percent of all new jobs and generates 50 percent of all national revenue. The opinions of these business leaders provide a clear snapshot of current economic, market, and industry trends and demonstrate their plans for growth over the next 12 months. These insights provide a leading indicator for employment, capital expenditure, sales and revenue trends.

The Q3 2006 Vistage Confidence Index is a compilation of responses from 1,939 CEOs of small- to mid-sized companies, surveyed August 16-24, with a margin of error of 1.9 percentage points. The Vistage Confidence Index is the only comprehensive report of their opinions and projections.