Unilever named number one in global sustainability survey

Sustainability experts from across the globe, including Australia and New Zealand, were canvassed as part of the annual SustainAbility survey that asks respondents to name the companies they consider sustainability leaders; why they think the firm is a leader in sustainable development; and which industries have done the most to advance sustainability in the past year.

In a year when commitment to sustainability values was considered a bigger factor in determining leadership than it has in recent years, Unilever topped all competitors to emerge as the leader in sustainable development, tripling its share of votes from 2010. The result follows the launch of Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan in November 2010.

Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan sets out more than 50 social, economic and environmental targets to be achieved by 2020. The plan will see Unilever, whose Australian brands includeFlora, Lipton, OMO and Dove,cut the environmental footprint of its products in half, sustainably source 100 per cent of its agricultural raw materials and help 1 billion people across the globe improve their health and well-being. The Australian and New Zealand components of the Sustainability Living Plan will be progressively implemented from this year.

The SustainAbilty Survey took place in March 2011 and surveyed 559 sustainability experts from corporate, government, non-government, academic and research organisations across 60 countries.