Tim Johns interviews Gavin Neath, CBE, Senior Vice President Communications and Sustainability

Transcript

Gavin Neath

We have great sympathy with what Greenpeace are trying to achieve here, they are drawing attention to a really important issue, which is the destruction of the rainforests and the role of palm oil in that. And they know, and we know, that we are very close to each other in our positions.

Tim Johns

One of the reasons they're attacking you is because they don't feel that you have done enough to lead the industry on this issue.

Gavin Neath

We were instrumental in setting up the round table for Sustainable Palm, which is a multi-sectorial body involving NGOs, retailers, suppliers, other food companies. And, in the last couple of years, also, we've actually led that ourselves, and all of that with the intention of trying to agree, right across the industry, global standards for sustainable palm cultivation. And, in November, last year, I'm pleased to say we reached agreement on that, so we're in a much better place, and a lot of that effort is down to the work we've put into that.

Tim Johns

How much sustainable palm oil actually is there in the world at the moment?

Gavin Neath

As of today, there's pretty well nothing, nothing whatsoever, so, we have to create this supply.

Tim Johns

And what is the reason for the increased demand in palm oil we're seeing?

Gavin Neath

It's come from growing demand from developing and emerging economies like China and India, who, as they get wealthier, their diets change, and they are consuming many more food products, which include palm as an ingredient in them, so, that's one significant factor. The other very major factor has been the fact that the energy industry has been using palm oil as a feedstock for biofuels.

Tim Johns

What is Unilever's position on its relationship with its suppliers and how they work?

Gavin Neath

The problem is, in a commodity market like palm, it's very difficult to trace back every single palm kernel back to the plantation on which it was grown.

Tim Johns

This isn't the only area you've had to deal with issues of sustainability, tell me about other areas you've been dealing with.

Gavin Neath

Well, of course, we have a good track record in this area, in the sense that, as far back as the mid 90s, we made a very public commitment about sourcing all of our fish from sustainable sources and, last year, we made a similar commitment on tea. But, on each occasion, we only made those commitments when we had done sufficient work to really make sure that we could follow through with integrity, with a sporting chance of meeting the goals that we'd set for ourselves.