At Unilever, our vision is to be the global leader in sustainable business. We will demonstrate how our purpose-led, future-fit business model drives superior performance, consistently delivering financial results in the top third of our industry.
We believe that the winning businesses of tomorrow will be those which anticipate and respond to the huge changes shaping people’s lives across the world. It will be the businesses and brands which capitalise on the power of data and biotechnology; which adapt to changing demographics and shifting consumer needs; and which contribute to tackling the twin challenges of climate change and social inequality, which will have the greatest success over the long term.
To bring our vision to life we systemically embed purpose and sustainability across the organisation:
- Governance: Our approach to sustainability is governed by the Corporate Responsibility Board Sub Committee and we receive expert advice from our external Sustainability Advisory Council.
- Strategy: Our sustainable business strategy, the Unilever Compass, includes 5 strategic choices and 30+ sustainability targets. These include winning with our brands as a force for good – powered by purpose and innovation, built on advanced science – and taking action on social and environmental issues that our consumers care about.
- Structure: Executives have responsibility for areas most relevant to them, such as our Chief Supply Chain Officer overseeing Climate Action, and our Chief Research & Development Officer overseeing Plastics.
- Remuneration: Remuneration linked to the achievement of sustainability targets is a key part of our reward framework. For management, reward packages include eligibility to participate in a long-term management incentives plan linked to business performance, of which the Sustainability Progress Index accounts for 25%.
We have a long tradition of being a responsible and pioneering business. It goes back to the days of our founders, including William Lever, who launched one of the world’s first purposeful brands, Sunlight Soap “to make cleanliness commonplace” more than 100 years ago. And it is this foundation of purposeful business that is at the heart of how we run our company today.