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TogetherWE CAN CHANGE HOW THE WORLD DOES BUSINESS

See our progress
Photo by Muhammad Taha, Unilever employee, Pakistan

For over 120 years we’ve been pioneers, innovators and changemakers.

From one life-saving soap to many world-changing brands.

But the world moves fast, and every day we learn how much more we can – and must – do.

We are at a turning point. Only businesses that help people and planet thrive will succeed. We have to scale our impact through partnership, collaboration and trust.

Paul Polman, CEO, Unilever
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Eight years ago, we created the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) to build a business that the world could be proud of.

We have much to celebrate.

See some of the progress we've made

  1. +600 million We have helped more than 600 million people improve their health and hygiene.

  2. Over Half Over half of our agricultural raw materials like palm oil, paper and tea are now sustainably sourced.

  3. Millions We have enhanced livelihoods for millions, through initiatives like our smallholder farmer and small-scale retailer programmes.
Find out more about the progress we made on our Plan in 2017

Beyond the targets, our purpose ‘to make sustainable living commonplace’ has inspired innovation, new ways of doing business and purposeful brands. Some of our recent highlights include:

We are proving that responsible business is good business. Here’s how...

  • Photo by Katarzyna Kozlowska, Unilever employee, Poland

    More growth

    Our own research shows that over half of all consumers already buy or want to buy sustainably. This is why we developed our ‘sustainable living’ brands, which have a clear purpose relating to a social or environmental concern and contribute to the USLP.

    We now have 26 sustainable living brands – including Dove, Lipton, Hellmann’s and Seventh Generation – 22 of which are in our top 40 brands. They have continuously outperformed the average growth rate of Unilever over the last four years and in 2017 they delivered 70% of Unilever’s turnover growth.

    70% of turnover growth in 2017

  • Photo by Son Ng-Hoang, Unilever employee, Vietnam

    Lower costs

    By cutting waste and reducing the use of energy, raw materials and natural resources, we create efficiencies and cut costs, while becoming less exposed to price volatility.

    Improvements in eco-efficiency have contributed to a cumulative cost avoidance of over €490 million in energy since 2008.

    €830 cumulative cost avoidance

  • Photo by Gil Harel, Unilever employee, Israel

    Less risk

    Operating sustainably helps us to future-proof our supply chain against the risks associated with climate change and sourcing materials.

    By the end of 2017, 56% of our agricultural raw materials were sustainably sourced.

    56% agricultural raw materials sustainably sourced

  • Photo by Juliana Abreu, Unilever employee, Brazil

    More trust

    Placing sustainability at the heart of our business model helps us stay relevant to consumers and strengthens our relationships with stakeholders.

    90% of our employees express pride in working for Unilever and last year we were named as the ‘most desired employer’ in 44 of the 52 markets in which we recruit - up 25% on the previous year.

    Most desired employer in 44 countries

As a business we keep one eye on the future, adapting and evolving to stay one step ahead.

Taking what we’ve learned to be the change we want to see.

But we know it is time for us to step up our ambition again. To look beyond 2020 to the Unilever of the future.

We don’t have all the answers. And we know we’ll only achieve our ambition through trust and partnership.

So we’ve asked our community to help us shape the next stage of our journey.

Over 40,000 people from inside and outside our business.

Investors and ice cream tasters, tech leaders and tea makers, creatives, academics, soap makers and strategists.

They’ve all had their say.

I’m excited to help Unilever dream big. Our future lies in creating an ecosystem for change – a network of people embracing our power to ask: can we do more?

Afra Abdeen, Assistant Sustainable Business Manager, South East Asia and Australasia

We are using all these rich insights and ideas to help us shape and evolve the future of our business.

Stretching us to do more good and create more positive impact. Working to help our communities prosper and our planet flourish.

As a business we keep one eye on the future, adapting and evolving to stay one step ahead.

Plant grow

Taking what we’ve learned to be the change we want to see.

But we know it is time for us to step up our ambition again.

To look beyond 2020 to the Unilever of the future.

TOGETHER, WE WILL REINVENT HOW BUSINESS IS DONE.

ARE YOUWITH US?

Photo by Zayra Zeeshan Raza, Unilever employee, UK & Ireland
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We're always looking to connect with those who share an interest in a sustainable future.

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Get in touch with Unilever PLC and specialist teams in our headquarters, or find contacts around the world.

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