Unilever Credits Sales Growth to Sustainability
Unilever’s commitment to put sustainable and equitable growth at the heart of its business model is helping to drive increased sales while reducing costs and risks, according to the second Unilever Sustainable Living Plan Progress Report published today.
Brands that have made sustainability central to their brand proposition or product innovation have accelerated sales during 2012:
•Lifebuoy soap, which has increased its handwashing education programmes, has seen double digit growth in each of the last three years;
•Dry shampoos such as TRESemm and Dove, which result in 90 percent less greenhouse gas emissions compared to washing hair in heated water, grew by nearly 20% in 2012; and
•Calorie-controlled Max and Paddle Pop children’s ice creams grew high double digit in 2012.
Unilever is also accelerating the integration of sustainability into the heart of many of its biggest brands. For example, Dove, its largest personal care brand with sales of over €3 billion, redesigned its self esteem program for young people in 2012 to further strengthen its engagement with consumers by helping them look and feel their best. Another example comes from Unilever’s biggest brand, Knorr, which launched its first product with a "sustainably grown" label on pack, with more to come.
At the same time, eco-efficiencies in Unilever factories from reducing energy, water, materials and waste have enabled the company to take over €300 million out of the system since 2008. The company has also reduced risk at a time of volatility in food commodity prices by increasing its purchases of agricultural raw materials from sustainable sources from 14 percent in 2010 to 36 percent in 2012.
Unilever CEO Paul Polman says, “Sustainability is contributing to our virtuous circle of growth. The more our products meet social needs and help people live sustainably, the more popular our brands become and the more we grow. And 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 the more we are able to invest in sustainable innovation and brands.”
Click here to for more information on Unilever Sustainable Living Plan's second year of progress.
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Brands that have made sustainability central to their brand proposition or product innovation have accelerated sales during 2012:
•Lifebuoy soap, which has increased its handwashing education programmes, has seen double digit growth in each of the last three years;
•Dry shampoos such as TRESemm and Dove, which result in 90 percent less greenhouse gas emissions compared to washing hair in heated water, grew by nearly 20% in 2012; and
•Calorie-controlled Max and Paddle Pop children’s ice creams grew high double digit in 2012.
Unilever is also accelerating the integration of sustainability into the heart of many of its biggest brands. For example, Dove, its largest personal care brand with sales of over €3 billion, redesigned its self esteem program for young people in 2012 to further strengthen its engagement with consumers by helping them look and feel their best. Another example comes from Unilever’s biggest brand, Knorr, which launched its first product with a "sustainably grown" label on pack, with more to come.
At the same time, eco-efficiencies in Unilever factories from reducing energy, water, materials and waste have enabled the company to take over €300 million out of the system since 2008. The company has also reduced risk at a time of volatility in food commodity prices by increasing its purchases of agricultural raw materials from sustainable sources from 14 percent in 2010 to 36 percent in 2012.
Unilever CEO Paul Polman says, “Sustainability is contributing to our virtuous circle of growth. The more our products meet social needs and help people live sustainably, the more popular our brands become and the more we grow. And 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 the more we are able to invest in sustainable innovation and brands.”
Click here to for more information on Unilever Sustainable Living Plan's second year of progress.
Related Articles:
Unilever Targets Growth in Emerging Markets through Analytics
Unilever Hits Zero-Waste at 26 More Facilities
Unilever Czech Republic Acquires SAVO Brand
Unilever Develops Disruptive Platform with Grocery Partner