Unilever has achieved a landmark goal in becoming a zero waste to landfill company in Europe.
One of the world’s leading suppliers of food, home and personal care products, Unilever operates from 242 factories in 67 countries around the world.
In January this year, the company announced that it had managed to eliminate non-hazardous waste to landfill across its global network of factories – believed to be a world first. At the same time, it outlined its ambition to become a zero waste to landfill company in all categories.
The European operation is the first to meet this new target, with 63 additional facilities now sending no waste to landfill. This includes manufacturing facilities, and Unilever-owned or fully-operated premises, logistics operations, distribution centres and offices.
Pier Luigi Sigismondi, Unilever’s Chief Supply Chain Officer, said: “Our zero waste to landfill goal is essential to Unilever’s sustainable growth ambitions and we aspire to see an industry-wide movement here.”
Unilever partnered with peer companies, experts and key stakeholders this past June to engage them to help it achieve its zero landfill goals.
“We are convinced that only together can we eliminate waste on an unprecedented scale across the globe,” said Mr Sigismondi. “Our European teams have reached an important new milestone and proven that the model and mind-set that drove our factory achievements is repeatable outside of a manufacturing environment.”
Unilever is aiming to become a zero waste company globally by the end of the year and is also continuing to work towards a zero waste value chain.
Unilever’s President of Europe, Jan Zijderveld, added: “With sustainable brands delivering more growth and savings made through greater resource efficiency and better use of materials, the business case for sustainability is becoming increasingly clear.”
More details on Unilever’s work on zero waste to landfill is available on its website.