Unilever tops sustainability rating for multinationals

Unilever praised for setting an ambitious target of halving the environmental impact of its products by 2020 while still maintaining economic growth

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Brand Central

Unilever has emerged as the sustainability leader in the Tomorrow’s Value Rating 2014 (TVR). For the second year running, the multinational consumer goods company has topped the rating, which evaluates the sustainability performance of the world’s largest companies. Nestlé and Diageo follow as the next highest performing food and beverage companies, with 2014 being the first year Diageo has featured in the rating. Overall, the food and beverage sector performed strongly, with an average score of 75%, above the global sector average of 69%.

However according to the publisher of the report, sustainability expert DNV GL, while sustainability leaders demonstrate ambition, drastic action is required if we are to remain within our planetary boundaries. In retaining its number one position, Unilever offers “a significantly more comprehensive, compelling and ambitious vision of the future for itself, its sector and the global economy as a whole,” said the report.

“Unilever stands out for its ambition and sensible milestones,” added Jon Woodhead, business development manager, DNV GL – Business Assurance. “It has set an ambitious target of halving the environmental impact of its products by 2020 while still maintaining economic growth in that period. It is a brave move, challenging the status quo, and demonstrates essential components of leadership.”

The TVR 2014 evaluates the sustainability performance of 45 major companies, including 10 in the food and beverage sector. It demonstrates how frontrunners in the food and beverage sector are making substantial progress in linking their operational performance to wider mega-trends such as climate change patterns and demands for increased food production. However, according to DNV GL, there is a notable gap between the leaders and the laggards, which appears to be largely driven by disparity in companies’ sustainability governance and level of transparency.

For full details of the TVR 2014, visit www.dnvgl.com/tvr2014.

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