Western Europe is a pivotal region for most consumer goods companies, accounting for 24.6% of total global GDP in 2014. Many of its markets are among the most accessible in the world to investors, and among the most conducive for doing business: for example, nine of the world’s top ten ranked countries (some jointly) in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2014 were in the region. Over 1 in 5 of its population over 15 had attained higher education in 2014.