Unilever has decided to scale back its environmental commitments, adjusting its sustainability targets to shorter-term goals due to geopolitical and economic challenges.
Louis Gore-Langton reports for Packaging Insights.
In short:
- Unilever CEO Hein Schumacher announced revised sustainability goals, reducing the target for cutting virgin plastic use and delaying the timeline for making packaging recyclable.
- The company’s decision aligns with the current global lack of strong environmental legislation, as discussed at the INC-4 global plastic treaty talks.
- Advocates argue that without stringent regulations, companies like Unilever will continue to prioritize financial performance over environmental commitments.
Key quote:
“Our updated commitments are very stretching, but they are also intentionally and, unashamedly, realistic.”
— Hein Schumacher, CEO of Unilever
Why this matters:
Initially lauded for its aggressive sustainability goals, Unilever’s adjustment raises questions about the challenges even major corporations face in transitioning towards more sustainable practices.
U.N. delegates from over 170 countries recently discussed advancing a draft agreement to tackle plastic pollution, with environmental advocates criticizing the U.S. for its lack of leadership and meaningful proposals in the negotiations.
