Unilever and its sustainable living program – 1 year after

A year after launching the Sustainable Living Program, Unilever released the first results, included in a report that presents the progress made until now in order to achieve the established targets. The CSR report shows that the effects of implementing the plan are already visible on international scale and in Romania, with consistent progress in different areas, such as waste management, reducing the  emission of CO2 or diminishing the level of salt from soups and spices.

Unilever also announced that, by the end of 2012, it will reach the objective of procuring palm oil from sustainable and certified sources, 3 years earlier than aimed.

Among the other progresses, Unilever also announced that, now, 24% of all its agricultural materials come from sustainable sources, compared to 14% in 2010. To make its products, the company uses less then a third saturated fats and 20% renewable energy.

According to the report, the areas of its CSR program where Unilever got very good progresses are: supplying with materials from sustainable sources (24% of total), usage of energy from renewable sources (100% in Europe), less than a third saturated fat (in over 90% of Unilver margarine brands).

In Romania, the company eliminated all trans-fat acids from margarine, sauces and ice cream and reduced by 10% the level of salt from soups and spices sold in stores.

The report mentions that Unilever analyzed and want to expand its activities in health and hygiene sectors, both internationally (with Lifebuoy brand’s program reaching to 48M people in 23 countries by the end of 2011 and encouraging them to wash their hands with soap and water, not just water ) and in Romania.

For Romania, Domestos brand launched, at national level, in 2009, “Hygiene at home and at school” program, that promotes the benefits of hygiene and daily health, targeting pre-school and school children, teachers and parents. The project continued this year with its 3rd edition and runs in 10 Romanian counties.

Also, Unilever is supporting in Romania also “I live healthy too” program, ran by Prais Foundation together with authorities, food and retail industry players and that aims, for the next 5 years, to prevent children obesity and to promote a healthy lifestyle at home.

Unilever aims for progress in other areas also, through partnerships that would help fulfill the objectives related to consumers habits’ changes, such as reducing the hot water usage or reducing the consumption of salt in the daily diet.