Our approach
This section summarises Unilever’s sustainability objectives and activities, explaining why this area has become such a focus for the business.
Our approach
Unilever’s approach to sustainability prioritises business benefits as well as ethical principles. More than ever, the business is seeing clear evidence that sustainability can drive growth. Whether it’s by stimulating the innovation pipeline, providing customers with sustainability expertise, or winning the hearts of principled consumers, sustainability is helping us win.
As you scroll through the following pages, you’ll find case studies demonstrating how the business is helping improve hygiene and well-being, promote sustainable agriculture, fight climate change, conserve water, re-think packaging and drive up eco-efficiency in manufacturing.
You’ll also find out about how Unilever is supporting economic development in developing and emerging markets: making products accessible to the lowest-income consumers, sharing technology and best practice, and promoting high standards of corporate governance.
Our stakeholders
Sustainability affects the entire community of stakeholders that surrounds Unilever. So this section also describes how Unilever collaborates with customers on sustainability, encourages suppliers to meet the highest-possible standards, looks after the well-being of employees and helps local communities thrive.
Of course, we can’t promote high standards more widely unless we exemplify impeccable governance ourselves. As described later in this section, our Code of Business Principles requires us to act with total transparency, openness and integrity around the world, staying out of politics and upholding human rights.
For proof that we’re moving in the right direction, you only have to look at the different kinds of external recognition we receive.
For instance, we’re the only company to have been named food industry category leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Indexes for eleven years in a row. Sustainable Asset Management has named us a Sector Leader, while also awarding us with a Gold Class distinction. We’ve been included in the FTSE4Good Index, and have achieved a score of 88% in the latest Carbon Disclosure Project survey.
If you want to explore sustainability at Unilever in more depth, our full Sustainable Development Report is available on
www.unilever.com/sustainability
where you can also download our shorter Sustainable Development Overview.
