Our sustainability journey
Over 100 years ago, William Hesketh Lever and Samuel van den Bergh did not just create the world's first consumer brands, Sunlight soap and Blue Band margarine: they built businesses with strong values and a mission to act as agents of social change.
Sustainable development has become the overarching goal for business and government. It demands that we meet the needs of society today without compromising the ability of future generations to survive and prosper.
A commitment to sustainable development and responsible business practice is embedded in our mission and principles. In practice this means understanding the impact we have as a business on society, not only in how we run our own operations, but also in sourcing our raw materials and, crucially, through our brands.
Our strategy
In 2007, the Unilever Executive agreed a revised strategy outlining our corporate responsibility and sustainability commitments. This builds on the 2005 strategy which reinvigorated many of our existing activities including our work on supply-chain standards, eco-efficiency, employee well-being and community engagement.
Our strategy focuses on areas where both the opportunities and challenges for our business are most pressing, namely climate change, sustainable agricultural sourcing, water and packaging.
It also cements our commitment to 'brand imprint' - the integration of social, economic and environmental considerations into the development plans of our brands. As values-led brands will increasingly drive our business, this element of the strategy is central to our approach.
We continue to focus our global partnerships on our Vitality themes of nutrition, hygiene and sustainability, as the areas where we can make the most impact.
Our strategy
| Strategy | Progress in 2007 |
|---|---|
| To integrate social, economic and environmental considerations into our business and brands |
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| To focus on climate change, water, packaging and sustainable agricultural resources as our key sustainability themes |
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| To focus our global partnerships on nutrition and hygiene issues |
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| To continue to work on our eco-efficiency, supply-chain management, employee health & safety and community investment |
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Management & implementation
To implement our strategy we have a series of management structures in place. The most important of these are:
Safety & Environmental Assurance Centre (SEAC)
SEAC's role is to provide independent scientific evidence and guidance so that Unilever can identify and manage:
risks for consumers, workers and the environment with regard to the safety of products and supply chain technology; and
environmental impacts, with regard to the sustainability of Unilever's brands, products and supply chain.
Unilever Food & Health Research Institute
Around 450 scientific staff work on the development of new products and processes and continuously improve the nutritional quality of our products, often in conjunction with external partners. The Institute shares and discusses our research widely, through publication in journals and an annual symposium involving external scientific experts.
Global Health through Hygiene Programme
The aim of this programme is to co-ordinate Unilever's efforts to make a measurable contribution to the health and hygiene of people around the world through practical, community-based initiatives. The programme takes successful initiatives from one brand or country and tailors them to address consumer hygiene needs elsewhere.
Sustainable Agriculture Steering Group
The Steering Group is responsible for managing our Sustainable Agriculture Initiative. Its objective is to promote sustainable supply chains worldwide, focusing on long-term, sustainable access to Unilever's key crops. The Steering Group also benefits from the input of the Sustainable Agriculture Advisory Board which consists of external experts.
Other programmes
Our Greenhouse Gases Working Group and the Responsible Packaging Steering Team are two current examples of how teams come together to work on specific issues. These groups work to assess Unilever's footprint, formulate strategy, work with category and brand teams to set specific goals and support the teams in implementing them. They also engage with external stakeholders.
