Unilever wants to make its entire production emission-free by 2039, and will donate a billion euros to a new climate fund.
Threat to all
“While the world is dealing with the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and grappling with serious issues of inequality, we can’t let ourselves forget that the climate crisis is still a threat to all of us. Climate change, nature degradation, biodiversity decline, water scarcity – all these issues are interconnected, and we must address them all simultaneously”, CEO Alan Jope said in a press release.
To speed things up, Unilever’s brands will come together to invest a total of one billion euros in a new fund that will support a variety of environmental projects over the next decade, including landscape restoration, reforestation, carbon sequestration, nature conservation and water conservation.
Warning to suppliers
In order to become completely emission-free, the British-Dutch group also counts on its suppliers: “To achieve this goal 11 years ahead of the 2050 Paris Agreement deadline, we must work jointly with our partners across our value chain, to collectively drive lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions. We will, therefore, prioritise building partnerships with our suppliers who have set and committed to their own science-based targets”, the press release states in no uncertain terms.
In time, Unilever also wants to state on all its products how much CO2 was released during production and transport. Suppliers will also have to indicate this information on their invoices. By being transparent about greenhouse gas emissions, Unilever hopes to accelerate the entire process. It may also encourage other companies and suppliers to produce more environmentally friendly.
