Unilever: A Sustainable Company

Corporate social responsibility—the voluntary commitment of a business that includes triple bottom line actions in its corporate processes—is based on the principle that corporate success and social well-being are interdependent and that the long-term interests of an organization are best served by improving its economic, sociocultural, and environmental/energy practices, also known as the three pillars of sustainability. As a responsible corporation, we respect the interests of our stakeholders—our shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, and the wider community—and we actively seek out opportunities to improve the environment and to contribute to the well-being of the communities in which we do business. And I am very proud that I’m part of a great company that promotes the triple bottom line not just part of the corporate CSR, but embedded in the vision of the company.

Unilever’s vision is “to double the size of our business, reduce our environmental footprint, and increase our positive social impact”. This perfectly reflects the three pillars of sustainable development: economic development which reflects doubling size of the business, environmental protection which reflects reducing environmental footprint, and social justice which reflects increasing positive social impact as Unilever’s business strategy.

We call our business strategy document ‘the Compass’, since it sets out a constant path for Unilever for the long term. First developed in 2009, it was sharpened in 2012 but its core elements remained the same.

We are developing new business practices that grow our company and communities, meeting people’s ever-increasing desire for more sustainable products and creating a brighter future for everyone.

The Unilever Sustainable Living Program, as part of the Compass, sets out three overarching goals for us to achieve by 2020:

 

By driving sustainability into every corner of our business, the Plan is opening up new opportunities and driving growth. Through innovation and marketing we ensure our products meet social needs and help people live sustainably. The more popular our brands become, the more we grow.

 

The more efficient we are at managing resources such as energy and raw materials, the more we lower our costs and reduce the risks to our business. And this means we have more to invest in sustainable innovation and brands.

 

Working in a company with a purpose of “making sustainable living commonplace” does not only help promote economic, environmental, social responsibility, but it inspires the whole organization, from rank and file employees up to top management, to do manage our responsibilities effectively, because we know that what we do, no matter how small they are, could help achieve the company’s vision. We work to create a better future every day. I’m proud to contribute for a better future. I’m proud to be part of Unilever.