Unilever steps up sustainable procurement program

18 Nov 2010

Source:  Purcon
Procurement jobs at Unilever are being shaken up in one of the most far-reaching reforms to corporate purchasing yet seen.??The consumer goods firm is making a huge commitment towards purchasing almost all of its raw materials from sustainable sources by 2020.

Announced as part of a wider goal of cutting in half the environmental impact of its manufacturing processes in the next ten years, the firm said it also wants to reduce greenhouse gases, water usage and waste.

By 2020, 100 per cent of agricultural raw materials, including palm oil, paper and board, soy, tea and cocoa, will be sourced sustainably. Unilever said: "The sourcing of raw materials and the use of our products by the consumer at home have a far larger footprint. We recognise this and so our plan is designed to reduce our impacts across the whole lifecycle of our products."The firm has already put pressure on other companies using palm oil to source the material in a more sustainable fashion, calling for more to join the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.

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