2Sustain

Unilever is now the first global FMCG company to commit to sourcing all of its paper and board packaging from sustainably managed forests or recycled material within a clearly defined timeframe.

Last week, the company announced that it wants to source 75 percent of its paper and board packaging from sustainably managed forests or from recycled material by 2015, rising to a goal of 100 percent from these sources by 2020.

Of course, Unilever is already a recognized leader in sustainable packaging. The company is a founding member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and since 1995, has reduced its total waste (kg/tonne of production) by 73 percent. (more…)

Two Tomorrows, an international sustainability consultancy, rated the sustainability efforts of the world’s 10 largest companies in the  food and beverage sector, and Unilever came out on top.

The new Tomorrow’s Value Rating has Unilever in first place, Nestle in second and Danone in third. Rivals Pepsi and Coca-Cola are in fourth and fifth places respectively.

The complete results are available here. (more…)

Unilever, one of the world’s largest buyers of palm oil, has eliminated one of the links in its palm oil supply chain.

The company has stopped all purchases of palm oil from the Indonesian company PT SMART after a Greenpeace report alleged the supplier engages in illegal deforestation and peatland clearance in Indonesia.

The Greenpeace report, “How the palm oil industry is cooking the climate,” didn’t single out Unilever. It also calls on Nestle and Procter & Gamble, to stop sourcing palm oil from irresponsible suppliers.

And, in doing so, it vividly underscores just how difficult it has become to ensure integrity in your supply chain. After all, Unilever, Nestle, and Procter & Gamble are all members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). From Greenpeace: (more…)

Paul Polman knows the consumer goods industry. He has been a high level executive at both P&G and Nestle, and this past January he took over the reins as CEO of Unilever.  And make no mistake about it: Polman knows the importance of corporate sustainability and values-based management, as well.

In the latest video installment in the McKinsey interview series, titled McKinsey conversations with global leaders, Polman reflects on a wide range of issues, including the current economic downturn, leadership styles, and the role of business in society.

Every day, two billion consumers use the Unilever brand, and for Polman that reach is intertwined with an even broader social mission, one that keeps the company focused on various CSR initiatives, such as sustainable sourcing, water stewardship, and working to improve hygiene.

“I’d hate, the day when I pass on, to have people talk about me building market share. I’d rather have them talk about me making a difference in society,” Polman says in the video.

Take a few minutes to watch the full interview here.

Here’s a low-carbon idea that I’ll bet you haven’t thought of yet: room temperature ice cream.

That’s right: ice cream that could be manufactured, transported, and sold without the need for freezing.

Can you imagine how much energy could be saved if consumers could buy ice cream at room temperature and then freeze it for themselves at home?

Unilever, the world’s largest producer of ice cream and owner of the Ben & Jerry’s brand, is hoping to develop just that sort of product, according to a report at TimesOnline.
(more…)