How Is Unilever Cutting Emissions in its Supply Chain?

Unilever has taken a proactive approach to tackling its Scope 3 emissions through its Supplier Climate Programme. Since launching in 2021, the programme has encouraged businesses in its supply chain to step up their climate actions.

The company’s efforts target about 300 suppliers, whose materials contribute around 44% of Unilever's Scope 3 emissions – which covers emissions from raw materials, ingredients and packaging.

Unilever has focused on this group, as these materials represent the largest share of emissions within the company’s climate targets.

By working closely with suppliers to help them calculate the carbon footprint (PCF) of the materials they supply, Unilever hopes to gain a clearer understanding of the climate impact within its supply chain.

As Willem Uijen, Unilever's Chief Procurement Officer, stated on LinkedIn, "We've been shaping and scaling our Supplier Climate Programme... we're getting more and more product carbon footprint data back from these suppliers."

Supporting suppliers in climate action

Unilever is making steady progress, expecting to engage around 300 suppliers by the end of 2024. The company is equipping its suppliers with tools and guidance to help them reduce their emissions.

Willem explains: "This task isn't easy. Results don't come quick. And we're all learning from each other as we go."

Key suppliers like Weener Plastics and Ball Corporation have joined the programme, sharing their PCF data and participating in workshops aimed at reducing emissions. Both companies have been able to track their progress and refine their strategies for cutting emissions within their own supply chains.

For Weener Plastics, Unilever’s programme has been a significant step forward.

Lenny Ellenkamp-van Olst, Director of Sustainability at Weener Plastics, notes, "Sustainability was already high on our agenda when we joined the Programme, but we didn't have much experience of making footprint calculations ourselves."

The tools provided by Unilever have allowed the company to train its teams and focus on operational improvements such as reducing scrap rates and optimising cooling systems.

Similarly, Ball Corporation has seen positive outcomes from its involvement in the programme.

"Ball is happy to be collaborating with Unilever on decarbonisation efforts and jointly driving action to reduce the environmental impact of our packaging," comments Predrag Ozmo, Sustainability Director at Ball.

Working with Unilever has helped the company engage its supply chain in climate action, ensuring that the entire process becomes more sustainable.

Long-term plans for cutting emissions

Unilever’s Supplier Climate Programme is part of its broader Climate Transition Action Plan (CTAP), which aims to reduce the company’s overall Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

The programme is set to make one of the biggest contributions to achieving these ambitious goals.

Unilever estimates that around 63% of its total emissions come from raw materials, ingredients and packaging. By helping suppliers track and reduce the emissions associated with these materials, the company is focusing on its most significant opportunities for climate impact.

As Willem explained, "We're getting more and more product carbon footprint data back from these suppliers, enabling us to jointly track supplier progress and identify our biggest decarbonisation opportunities across each of our procurement portfolios."

Looking forward, Unilever plans to continue developing partnerships with suppliers to reduce emissions further. The focus will be on identifying the most impactful decarbonisation opportunities in priority materials and creating roadmaps for tackling them.

Stella Constantatos, Unilever’s Supplier Climate Programme Lead, adds: "By collaborating with us in the programme, our partners are not only better equipped to reduce emissions, they are also helping us build a more accurate picture of the climate impact in our supply chain."

Collaboration for a sustainable future

Unilever’s Supplier Climate Programme demonstrates the power of collaboration in driving meaningful change.

By equipping its suppliers with the right tools and resources, the company is not only reducing its own emissions but also helping its suppliers on their sustainability journeys.

As suppliers accelerate their climate actions, Unilever is steadily working towards its goal of achieving net zero emissions across its supply chain.

With a clear plan, collaborative partnerships and a commitment to reducing emissions, Unilever is taking significant steps towards a more sustainable future.

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