Implementing a CorporateSustainable Living Initiative

Unilever Sustainable Living Plan

ISM2016 session on Tuesday, May 17

Presenter: Craig Gentry, vice president, business development, Unilever Food Solutions North America

Unilever is on a sustainable living mission.

The company’s Sustainable Living Plan is on the way to help more than 1 billion people improve their health and well-being and enhance their lifestyles as well as halve the environmental footprint of its products, Gentry says.

Key takeaways:

●The brand, which includes such products as Ben & Jerry’s and Dove, accounts for 50 percent of Unilever’s growth and is more profitable than standard products, Gentry says.

●One of the challenges Unilever has faced is that it can’t always control every factor that affects the environmental footprint. For example, increased use of a sustainable Unilever soap product by consumers means more water is being consumed.

●Unlike organic products, there isn’t a standard code that addresses sustainable agriculture. Unilever has developed its own code and hopes it will become the industry standard.

Key quote: “We’re trying to make sustainable living commonplace.”

ISM2016 is May 15-18 in Indianapolis.