Unilever 2013 Annual Report Download - page 28

tohelp wth solutons, workng alongsde
governments and NOs For nstance our
‘Domestos for UNIEF’ partnershp has
rased awareness of the global santaton
crss and the need for mproved santaton
We are steppng up our own brand-led
ntatves and wll ncreasngly seek an
ntegrated approach to these needs
Lfebuoy’s target to help 1 bllon people
tomprove ther hygene behavour by
handwashng wth soap s very ambtous
so we are workng wth partners to fnd
ways to drve down costs and scale up our
efforts
We am to acheve real mprovements n
the health and everyday lves of people who
are our current and future consumers We
wll focus more specfcally on the needs
of women as they form the maorty of our
consumer base, are strongly represented n
our agrcultural supply chans and n some
countres n sellng our brands n remote
rural areas By workng wth NO partners
such as Oxfam, we have ganed new
nsghts nto the mpacts that our extended
value chan can have onwomen who
facedsadvantage and dscrmnaton
Increasngly we are lookng for opportuntes
where we can play a role n promotng
the rghts of women, buldng knowledge,
enhancng ther lvelhoods and ncreasng
economc ncluson
In 2014 we wll update the USLP to reflect
our learnng and new areas of focus
OVERVIEW OF RISKS
SUSTAINABILITY
The success of our busness depends
on fndng sustanable solutons to
support long-term growth
See Rsks on page 34
LIFEBUOY  THREE YEARS
OF DOUBLEDIIT ROWTH
Our health soap brand, Lifebuoy, has achieved three
years of sequential double-digit growth to become the
world’s number one anti-bacterial brand. Expert
studies have shown that washing hands at five critical
moments during theday can dramatically cut the
incidence of life-threatening diseases like diarrhoea.
Lifebuoy puts thissocial mission at the heart of its
brand proposition. In 2013, Lifebuoy ran hygiene
behaviour change programmes in 14 countries.
Unilever is an active founder member of
the Dutch Sustainable Growth Coalition
(DSGC). This CEO-led partnership of eight
multinational companies develops knowledge
about the integration of sustainability within
business. Knowledge and insights are shared
with the broader business and stakeholder
community, including policymakers.
Dutch Sustanable rowth oalton
Unilever’s expertise and the
strength of the Lifebuoy brand,
coupled with our ambitions to
deliver health impact at scale,
will help achieve three things:
better policies around water,
sanitation and hygiene; a
stronger argument for their
integration into the post-2015
development agenda; and
ultimately an end to
preventable deaths of children
for the worst of all reasons –
ignorance. PSI is proud to
partner with the Unilever
Foundation and Lifebuoy to
help drive the Lifebuoy brand’s
social mission and Unilever’s
market growth.
Karl Hofmann, Presdent & EO, PSI
Unilever’s commitment to
traceable palm oil marks a
very promising step on the
journey towards a mainstream
sustainable palm oil market.
Unilever’s role andactions
have been instrumental so far:
in establishing the Roundtable
on Sustainable Palm Oil in
2004, in its development into
a credible standard and
institution, and in driving the
production and purchase of
sustainable palm oil.
Rchard Holland, Drector, Market
Transformaton Intatve, WWF
Unilever’s willingness to open
its supply chain to scrutiny by
Oxfam of its performance on
labour rights, and to allow
Oxfam to publish our findings,
showed an unusual level of
transparency. It has made
possible a constructive
dialogue on the necessary
conditions for workers to
enjoy their rights which has
encouraged Unilever – and
wehope other companies – to
integrate human and labour
rights more systematically in
their business and Unilever
Sustainable Living Plan.
Mark oldrng, hef Executve,
Oxfam B
25Strategc reportUnlever Annual Report and Accounts 2013