A greater percentage of consumers are viewing leading brands as being socially responsible, according to preliminary numbers from a consumer survey. The SHIFT Report, an annual survey of 5,000 people from the North American general population by sustainability marketing consultancy Conscientious Innovation studies attitudes towards sustainability and leading brands.

According to preliminary data from the first 1,000 respondents, the percentage of consumers that view GE, Apple, Microsoft, and Wal-Mart as being "socially responsible" more than doubled over a year ago. The data, which is being collected this month and is exclusively released to Matter Network, shows that more than 40 percent of consumers viewed these companies positively.

Many of these brands had major marketing campaigns to tout their sustainable bona fides, which must have paid off.

Interestingly, while positive attitude towards companies are on the rise, the percentage of consumers who say they are have made sustainable choices related to home energy is down by 13 percent. Also down, albeit slightly, is the importance of global warming in individuals' decision making (from 58 to 54 percent, so far).

Nearly two-thirds of consumers say health and environmental toxins in products is a "significant concern" to them.

We'll be releasing more data as it becomes available, so keep checking MatterNetwork.com and the Conscientious Innovations website.