Unilever PLC, Clean200 #9
Unilever
The consumer products industry is one of the more difficult industries to convert to something sustainable, as the titans in the space have spent decades fine tuning their business models to thrive on consumption. Unilever has led the charge towards a more sustainable means of producing its products, but this also puts them in a position of responsibility and although they are making more progress than their peers, they still seem to be 5+ years behind where they should be.
Unilever pulls in $10 billion per year in profits by selling plastic and consumable products that result in a world littered with plastic. It is easy to see trash and blame the consumer, but that trash was produced by corporations like Unilever that need to take the lead on producing more sustainable products for consumers. Durable, refillable containers can replace single-use bottles and disposable packaging as a start, and it has to start at the top. Unilever is definitely pushing the envelope in packaging. In response to an As You Sow shareholder engagement, they agreed to make all packaging recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2025. That’s still a ways out, but it is a step in the right direction.
Article written by CleanTechnica - In partnership with As You Sow and Corporate Knights.
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