Unilever Brazil wins Walmart award
Global retailer Walmart has named Unilever Brazil its supplier of the year in the sustainability category at its annual awards.
Pledging sustainable support
The accolade comes after Unilever Brazil’s Vice Presidents of Corporate Affairs and Supply Chain established the Unilever Sustainability Committee in 2010. Since then, they’ve been having regular meetings with a range of stakeholders, including retailers, to discuss the best ways to manage and promote sustainability.
In 2009, Unilever signed the Pact for Sustainability – a pledge supported by 20 key Walmart suppliers to provide sustainable raw materials across the supply chain. The agreement includes specific pledges for cattle, wood and soya. Under the Pact for Cattle, for example, Unilever Brazil has filed documents confirming that raw material for our products comes from farms approved by the Brazilian Environmental Authority (BAMA). And all raw material must come from a traceable source under the Pact for Wood.
Suppliers also agree not to supply soya from deforested areas under the Minimum Criteria for Soya and Other Industrial Agriculture Operations in the Amazon 'Biome'.
Inspiring innovation
The pact is also designed to stimulate sustainable innovation, inspiring new products to help consumers reduce their own impact on the environment.
With that aim in mind, Unilever Brazil launched Concentrate Comfort fabric conditioner in 2009. The formula is three times as concentrated as older versions of Comfort but needs less water. Just half a capful is enough to soften 5kg of laundry.
Unilever Brazil has also launched a concentrated laundry detergent – Omo Liquid – the first product of its kind with this benefit in the country.
