Sustainability at Unilever

It is based on this relationship, and our loyalty to our consumers, that we have taken on the target of doubling our business whilst reducing our environmental impact. Our Sustainable Living Plan seeks to implement sustainable ways of doing business by identifying areas where we hold expertise and can make the greatest difference. To this end, we are partnering with industry bodies, Government, NGO s, educational institutions and local communities to ensure that our small actions together translate into a big difference for our consumers and for the world at large.

To give impetus to our Sustainable Living Plan, we have set targets for various initiatives that will underpin our national and global efforts.

As Unilever, we can have the most influence through our products. In South Africa’s emerging economy there are still many people who, due to lack of awareness or resources, suffer from diarrhoeal and respiratory disease. In order to meet this need, and to improve overall health and hygiene conditions, we have committed to reach one million rural and urban women with an education programme that improves their understanding of hygiene through our Lifebuoy brand. Our commitment to improving the quality of people’s diet and providing the right nutrients can be seen through our various awareness campaigns, such as the Flora ‘Test the Nation’ programme which talks about cholesterol and heart health, as well as through the steps we are taking to reduce salt, sugar and saturated fats in our food products.

We have ambitious plans to grow our company, but growth at any cost is not viable. We will continue to reduce the environmental impact of our factories. We have invested significantly in the country through the construction of our two new warehouses in Pietermaritzburg and Johannesburg as well as our new savoury foods factory in Riverhorse Valley, Kwa-Zulu Natal due for completion in 2011. Not only is this an indication of our commitment to growing South Africa but we have also designed these complexes, from the buildings and equipment through to the logistics, to ensure that their environmental footprint is minimised.

We are also, however, looking beyond our factories to explore how we can reduce our environmental impacts from the sourcing of raw materials, to the use of our products by consumers at home, to how our packaging gets disposed of. We will focus on greenhouse gases, water, waste and sustainable sourcing because these are the areas where we have the largest impact and can make the greatest difference.

Key determinants of our success in achieving our growth ambitions are our people, both within the company and in the community in which we operate. As an organisation we are dedicated to up-skilling people, thereby helping them create sustainable livelihoods for themselves. Our Unilever Trade Development Programme, our learnership schemes and our partnerships with organisations such as the Mandela Rhodes Foundation are examples of our commitment to create a better future for South Africans. Our workforce is demographically representative of the country and reflects our commitment to diversity. Within the work environment, our wellness programmes have been developed to enhance the personal health and vitality of our employees. Ever mindful of South Africa’s fight against HIV /AI Ds, our HIV Roadmap is designed to support the Government’s strategic framework as well as address the needs of the individuals within our organisation, and through them, the community.

Through our efforts across the board, we aim to deliver long-term sustainable growth – by helping to create a South African community that is healthy, empowered and poised for further growth.