Between 5 September and 3 October 2025, UNICEF in collaboration with the American College of Greece- Research Center conducted a U-Report poll to capture the opinions of children and young people on how businesses respect and protect children’s rights. The poll was entitled “What do children and young people think about business practices and children's rights?” and aimed to understand youth perceptions of corporate responsibility, ethical practices, and engagement with children and families.
The survey engaged 146 respondents with an impressive 95% response rate, highlighting the strong interest of young people in corporate responsibility and children’s welfare. The top region for participation was Attica, with 77 respondents, followed by Central Macedonia with 26 respondents.
Demographics of Respondents
Age groups: 0–14 (3%), 15–19 (59%), 20–24 (23%), 25–30 (9%), 31–34 (3%), 35+ (3%)- Gender:
Balanced representation across male and female respondents
- Location: Predominantly Attica, with responses from other regions across Greece
Key Findings
1. Formal Policies to Protect Children
- Only 4% believe that most companies have a clear, formal policy protecting children’s rights.- - 21% say most
companies have some policy, while 38% think only some companies do,
34% report very few, and 3% say none.
This indicates that the majority of young people perceive corporate protection of children’s rights as insufficient.
2. Prohibition of Child Labour
- - 14% believe that
companies clearly prohibit child labour.
- - 28% say yes, but
not clearly, 26% sometimes, 24% rarely, and 7% never.
Young people see inconsistent enforcement of anti-child-labour policies across businesses.
3. Supplier Oversight
- - 2% believe
companies always check that suppliers do not use child labor.
- - 17% say often, 49%
rarely, and 32% never.
This suggests that most respondents doubt companies’ diligence in monitoring their supply chains.
4. Action on Violations
- - 50% think companies
act slowly, and 50% rarely act when violations are found.
- - None believed that companies respond
immediately.
This highlights a perceived lack of urgency in addressing rights violations.
5. Truthfulness in Reporting
- - 2% believe
companies always reflect reality in their reports on children’s rights.
- - 36% say sometimes, 46%
rarely, and 16% never.
Young people appear skeptical about the accuracy of corporate communications on these issues.
6. Support for Community Initiatives
- - 15% say companies
support initiatives to improve children’s lives.
- - 57% believe they
rarely do, and 28% say not at all.
This indicates limited engagement in social programs aimed at children.
7. Supporting Parents
- - Only 1% believe companies fully
support parents to spend time with their children without stress.
- - 9% say quite a
lot, 46% a little, and 45% nothing.
This suggests that corporate family-friendly policies are widely perceived as inadequate.
8. Responsible Advertising
- - 8% say companies
always ensure ads avoid showing bad habits or role models.
- - 47% sometimes, and 44%
say no.
This points to concerns over how children are influenced by commercial content.
9. Youth Participation in Decision-Making
- - 7% feel companies
consistently listen to young people.
- - 42% sometimes, and 51%
believe companies do not listen at all.
Young people want a stronger voice in corporate decisions affecting them.
10. When asked whether companies take good care of the environment and try not to cause damage:
- - 1% of respondents
said yes, always
- - 12% said yes,
quite a lot
- - 53% said a little
- - 34% said not at all
These results show that the majority of young people perceive companies’ environmental practices as insufficient, highlighting the need for stronger corporate accountability and sustainable business practices.
Conclusion and Implications
The poll reveals a clear perception among children and young people that businesses in Greece often fall short in protecting children’s rights, monitoring supply chains, and engaging with young people. Respondents highlighted inconsistent policies, slow action on violations, and skepticism toward corporate communication.
These findings underscore the need for:
- 1. Stronger, transparent corporate policies
on children’s rights
- 2. Regular monitoring of suppliers
to prevent child labour
- 3. Meaningful engagement with youth,
giving them a voice in decision-making
- 4. Enhanced corporate social responsibility, including family support, responsible advertising, and environmental stewardship.
By addressing these gaps, businesses can not only uphold children’s rights but also build trust and credibility among young people — a generation increasingly aware of and concerned about ethical practices.
For full poll results, visit the U-Report Greece poll.
- - 21% say most
companies have some policy, while 38% think only some companies do,
34% report very few, and 3% say none.
