ALFONSO, DIANNE CLARIZ M.

3 – CMC

ASSIGNMENT #2

1. How is Unilever’s dedication to sustainability reflected in the company’s mission

statement? In your opinion, has the company succeeded in incorporating
sustainability into the company’s DNA?

Unilever's mission statement is "to add vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for
nutrition, hygiene, and personal care with brands that help people feel good, look
good and get more out of life." Since they created their brand, they focus on selling
different products that provide good hygiene, nutrition, and personal care. But, at the
same time, they want to effectively offer their consumers a great product that will
sustain the vitality of life. In the launching of their Unilever Sustainable Living Plan
(USLP), they set three essential goals:
• Improving Health and well-being for more than one billion
• Reducing environmental impact by half
• Enhancing livelihoods for millions

Those three goals had made their basis on continuing their legacy for sustainability.
Looking at the achievements they received from creating this plan, I can say that their
dedication to sustainability reflects the company's statement. Since they are sticking to
promoting positivity and environmentally friendly ways of delivering their products to
their consumer for almost ten years, They created a brand image that lets their
consumers feel they care for them.

2. In your opinion, is Unilever’s plan too aggressive and detailed? Is the company
setting itself up for failure if objectives are not met as detailed?

As I have mentioned above, their three main goals remain as their core objectives in
achieving the sustainability they are planning. For me, their aggressive and detailed
strategies to achieve the sustainability that they are rooting for is a great way to
persuade consumers to buy their products. It can also boost their employee’s morale
and made them understand that they are working in a company that stands against
unethical behavior to humans and our environment.

They mentioned that their plan is not perfect; therefore, there are still lots of room for
improvement. But, the amount of progress they are making is enough to prove that they
are creating this plan not to be seen as a failure but to be seen as a brand that genuinely
cares for its consumer and environment. Hence, if the goals that they are promoting
right now are not efficient enough to create a more significant change, then for sure in
the future, they can elaborate and create a more effective strategic plan in achieving
sustainability. It will never be a loss for them, but rather a lesson that they needed to
learn for them to go back to where they started and what are the reasons; they stated
such objectives as the core of their company.
3. What is your reaction to CEO Paul Polman’s response to critics “If you don’t
like it, go somewhere else”? Should a CEO of a publicly traded company be so
bold in his reaction to investors and shareholders?

For me, Mr. Polman is a man who knows the risk he is taking. Observing from his point
of view, Unilever is a huge brand; hence their influence on people and the trading
industry is very wide. They can reach up to billions of people; that's why I understand
why their CEO stands his ground firmly in achieving sustainability while being one of
the world's most established and influential companies. His words are powerful enough
to let the world understand their goal as a brand. Although yes, those investors and
shareholders can be a loss for the company, but I think when it comes to sustaining life
and our environment, money is nothing compared to that.

4. How would you rate Unilever’s progress against its plan?

Since it has been running for ten years now, and looking at the achievements they
obtain such as: Saving half of the water they are using in manufacturing their products,
creating equality for genders in the management, operating 100% renewable grid
electricity for their operations worldwide, promoting fairness across their business and
supply chain, helping 1.8 million small-scale retailers, reducing their waste and
packaging by 32%, sustainably increasing their raw agricultural product, improving the
health and hygiene of almost 1.3 billion people, and meeting the highest nutritional
standard. From all the milestones they reach for this project, the rate I will give to their
Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) is 8 out of 10. The objectives they listed in
their plan are the issues that keep on expanding and increasing. Puberty, lack of natural
resources so on and so forth will always be our day-to-day problems. But since they
are starting to create progress on how to fix this environment and world we have, I
consider it a massive step in accomplishing sustainability for everyone; that's why I
gave them a high rating.

Not all company as big as Unilever has the guts to promote such goals that can risk
their income and loss future investors or stockholders. Kudos to their CEO for
facilitating such a massive project that will benefit us and future generations.

References:

• Purpose, values & principles. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11, 2021, from
https://www.unilever.com.ph/about/who-we-are/purpose-and-principles/
• Ten years of sustainable Living achievements. (n.d.). Retrieved March 11,
2021, from https://www.unilever.com.ph/sustainable-living/ten-years-of-
sustainable-living-achievement.html