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Sustainability governance

Our commitment to strong corporate governance is the basis for our leadership and values in changing times and is a vital component of our growth strategy.

Building resilience through action

Unilever’s sustainability targets play a critical role in future-proofing our business in four priority areas: Climate, Nature, Plastics and Livelihoods. Our targets ensure focus and urgency where we can deliver the most impact, alongside more systemic interventions to drive progress in areas outside of our direct control.

Board-level sustainability oversight

The Governance of Unilever (PDF 1.45 MB) explains the role of the Board and specifically Board Committees in relation to sustainability.

Our most recent Annual Report & Accounts (PDF 6.16 MB) includes disclosure on a number of sustainability-related governance topics.

Executive management sustainability oversight

The Unilever Leadership Executive is responsible for the execution of strategy and day-to-day management of Unilever. They play a vital oversight and performance management role in respect of our sustainability targets, reviewing progress and guiding our sustainability advocacy priorities. Each sustainability target has a ULE sponsor. Additionally, our four Business Group Presidents are accountable for the delivery of Unilever’s plastic and climate targets, including capital allocation decisions.

Embedding sustainability into every part of our business

Unilever’s Global Sustainability Team is led by our Chief Corporate Affairs and Communications Officer and our Global Head of Sustainability. They set the strategic direction of our sustainability strategy and delivery of our sustainability targets, with oversight from the Board’s Corporate Responsibility Committee and ULE. They are also responsible for Unilever’s sustainability advocacy strategy and partnerships, working with key stakeholders across the business to deliver this.

Responsibility for the delivery and implementation across our four sustainability priorities is integrated into the roles and remit of multiple teams across the business. This includes dedicated sustainability teams in global functions such as Finance, R&D, and Supply Chain, as well as within our Business Groups and Markets who also play a key role in delivery. For more on how we are embedding sustainability see news and features which regularly showcases the people behind our sustainability priorities.

Using external stakeholder insights

The Board and Unilever Leadership Executive regularly engage with and use stakeholder insights to help make sense of the complex landscape of risks and opportunities. See our latest Annual Report for more on how the Board engages with stakeholders (PDF 6.16 MB).

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Unilever Sustainability Advisory Council

Our Unilever Sustainability Advisory Council comprises independent external specialists in social and environmental sustainability who guide the implementation and evolution of our sustainability strategy:

A headshot of Alison Taylor. Alison has short brown hair and blue eyes, and is wearing a navy blue shirt with white spots on. She is resting her right arm on the edge of the seat as she looks towards the camera.

Alison Taylor

Alison is a Professor at NYU Stern School of Business and thought leader in corporate responsibility and business ethics. Her research focuses on the organisational dimension of corporate responsibility, exploring how businesses can effectively integrate ethical practices.

A headshot of Bernice Lee. Bernice has long brown wavy hair, and is wearing glasses and a plain black top. She is smiling at the camera.

Bernice Lee

Bernice is a Distinguished Fellow and Senior Advisor at Chatham House, a prominent international affairs think tank based in London.

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Caroline Rees

Caroline is President and Co-Founder of Shift, a non-profit organisation working to embed respect for human rights into business practice. She previously worked with Prof. John Ruggie on the development of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

A headshot of Arunabha Gosh. Arunabha has black hair and brown eyes, and is wearing a light blue shirt and buttoned-up golden waistcoat. He is smiling at the camera.

Dr Arunabha Ghosh

Arunabha is the founding CEO of the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), one of the world's leading climate think tanks. He is an internationally recognised public policy expert, author, columnist, and institution builder.

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Dr Marcus Gover

Marcus is a sustainability leader with over 30 years’ experience working with businesses and policy makers to create systemic change. He was previously the CEO of WRAP and Director of The Minderoo Foundation’s Plastics Initiative.

A headshot of a Marco Lambertini. Marco is stood outside with trees behind him. He is wearing a grey cap that says “Nature Positive by 2030” and a blue shirt. He is smiling at the camera.

Marco Lambertini

Marco is the convener of the Nature Positive Initiative. He was the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) International Director General and Special Envoy. Before joining WWF, he was Global Director of Network and Programme and CEO of BirdLife International.

A headshot of Ricken Patel. Ricken has a large world map poster behind him. He is wearing a light blue shirt and a suit jacket, as he looks towards the camera.

Ricken Patel

Ricken is a public entrepreneur, and founding CEO of Avaaz where he built the world’s largest civic activist movement, which has 70 million members. He has been named HuffPost’s Ultimate Gamechanger, Foreign Policy’s Top 100 Thinker & a Davos Young Global Leader.

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