The report, commissioned by the Sustainable Business Council, covered eight sectors, of which financial services were one.

Banks and other financial service providers were rated at the bottom of the table when consumers were asked whether they cared about the sustainability of brands and products when purchasing – across a range of industries.

Almost 70% would care about the sustainability of a larger retailer. And more than half said it affected their purchasing decisions at a large retailer but only 35% said the same of a financial institution.

“New Zealand businesses are increasingly embedding sustainability into their strategies and business practice; however, many businesses are reluctant to talk about what they’re actually doing,” Sustainable Business Council executive director Abbie Reynolds said.

“In many cases, it’s a matter of ‘green hush’, rather than greenwash. This research shows there is an important opportunity for business in New Zealand to show leadership.”

Sustainability was the fourth-equal most important factor in choosing a financial services provider, behind quality, price and prior experiences.

New Zealanders were less likely to do research to assess the sustainability of a financial institution – 34% would not research at all.

Those who wanted information would most often look at the website.