Analysis of Unilever's Sustainable Production and Product Strategies

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Unilever's approach to sustainable production and product development. It begins with an overview of Unilever, its global operations, and its commitment to sustainable practices. The report then explores the concept of sustainable production, examining its economic, social, and environmental dimensions. It delves into Unilever's sustainable production framework, focusing on its initiatives related to raw materials, waste reduction, packaging, health, and community engagement. The report further examines the theoretical positions and frameworks related to sustainable production, including the roles of various organizations like the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the European Union, and the UK government. It analyzes product design, sustainability indicators, and economic and social sustainability aspects. The report highlights the government's role in promoting sustainable production in the UK, and it concludes with a comparison of Unilever's approach with that of Nestle, another major player in the industry, to highlight similarities and differences in their sustainability strategies and performance.

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1. Introduction
Sustainable production and products is an issue that has attracted many discussions since
the issue touches on the society, environment and general responsibility of producers. This
implies that those organizations that are involved in the production of consumable products have
the sole responsibility to produce products that have a minimal adverse effect on consumers and
environment. Sustainable production can be described as the production system that involves
designing and production of products that has economic, social and environmental benefits while
at the same time protecting health and environment.
1.1 Overview of Unilever
Unilever is an organization that has its headquarters in London, United Kingdom and
Rotterdam, Netherlands. The company was started in 1870s and has ground to cover many
countries throughout the world. The company produces a variety of products that range from
food and beverages to cleaning agents and personal care products. The company currently covers
more than 190 countries worldwide making the company one of the oldest company in the world.
Recently the company was crown the top five sustainable company within the UK market
(Unilever 2018).
1.2 Sustainable Production and products
Sustainable production and products are developed with considerable effect on
environment, social and economic responsibility while at the same time protecting health,
environment throughout the production of the products to consumption (Blewitt 2008, p. 96).

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1.3 Unilever and sustainable production
Unilever has develops sustainable production framework and plan that aim to produce
products that have a positive impact on both the society and environment. Firstly, the focus of
the company's sustainable living plan is to produce products that ensure the growth of the
company and at the same time is cost effective and future-oriented. Secondly, the sustainability
framework has ensured that more than 55% of the raw materials used in the production are
sustainably produced. This is to ensure that there is zero release of hazardous waste into the
environment and more so CO2 into the environment (Graves, Ebbesen, Mogensen & Lackner
2011, pp 1–23). Thirdly, another area of focus by the company is packaging where the company
is rethinking about the plastic packaging due to their impact on the environment. Fourthly, the
Unilever has a sustainable living plan that put the health and hygiene at the forefront of its
production. This the company does through ensuring sustainable nutrition and building of body
confidence and self-esteem. Lastly, the company has other initiatives to better the life and living
conditions for many communities. The company, therefore, has several activities that such as the
development of smart water products, connecting with smallholders farmers, advancing human
rights and improved nutrition (Spary 2014).
2. Theoretical Positions and frameworks
2.1 Organizations concerned with sustainable production and products
There has been a concern on the sustainable production and products with many
organizations and government agencies taking their position on the topic. Some of the players
that are currently concerned about the sustainable production and products are United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), European Union, and The United States and United Kingdom

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government. These organizations can be categorized as a local and international organization and
areas of operation.
2.1.1 The local organization's concern with sustainable production and
products
Firstly, the government of the United Kingdom has been on the forefront in the
discussion on the sustainable production and products. The government has been developing
many different policies to achieve a sustainable production and sustainable products within the
private and public sector of production. The government has come up with action plans that
ensure that businesses operating within the country has sustainability framework. For instance,
the green economy policy of 2010-2015 aim to collaborate with businesses to make economy
sustainable while at the same time has a minimal environmental impact (Lynn &. Gurel-Atay
2014).
Secondly, various companies within the United Kingdom has been in continuous
discussion on the sustainable production and products. Some of these companies are
manufacturers, construction companies, and environmental protection agencies. For instance,
food retailers in the country have been developing strategies that aim to differentiate between
organic food and nonorganic food. This is to bring out the difference between sustainable food
and other food produced without sustainability system. In addition, most food producing
companies such as Unilever, Danone, and Nestle has sustainability goal as their production
strategies (Vig & Kraft 2018, pp. 269–273).

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2.1.2 International organization concern with sustainable production and
products
Firstly, the European Union is another organization that is deeply concerned with the
sustainability of production and products. For instance, the organization has developed
Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy (SCP/SIP) Action
Plan that aim to foster achieve energy efficiency, Ecolabel of products, and improved
environmental efficiency of products (Laszlo & Zhexembayeva 2011a). The organization
requires members which the UK is a member to come up with sustainable production framework
that reduces environmental impact and produce sustainable products (European Commission
2011).
Thirdly, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as an international
environmental organization has an equally developed action plan to reach environmentally
sustainable production and products. In addition, the organization is involved in studies of the
impact of sustainable production and sustainable products on the environment (United Nations
Environmental Program 2011). The main focus of this organization is a reduction of
environmental pollution and improvement of environmental conditions. To ensure this goal, the
organization encourage member countries to ensures that companies involved in production
produce products that are sustainable with minimal release of waste into the environment (United
Nations Environment Programme 2009).
2.2 The theoretical framework for sustainable production and products
There are many different aspects or framework that has been developing to help in
sustainable products through sustainable production. Framework for evaluation and analysis of

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sustainable production system focus on some aspects of the production and consumption
elements.
2.2.1 Product design
Firstly, products design is one framework that helps in achieving sustainable production
and sustainable products as it utilizes the sustainability approach for designing products. The
theory is based on the need to design products that use sustainable raw materials and achieve
sustainable products as the end product (Thain & Bradley 2014, p. 426). In addition, the product
design work with a focus on the overall economic and social impact of the product designed
within and industry. When using the design of the productdesign for evaluation of sustainable
production and products, the technology that is used in production is a key consideration (Kates
2010).
2.2.2 Indicators for sustainable production
There are some indicators for sustainable production of sustainable products that offers
the basis for the theoretical understanding of the sustainable production and sustainable products.
Firstly, the chemical composition of products is one indicator of the sustainability of the product
(Von Weizsacker, Hargroves, Smith & Stasinopoulos, 2009). The impact of the chemicals that
are used in production or that forms the component of the final product is used evaluate the
sustainable production of the products. Secondly, the waste and ecological impact of the
products is another indicator for the sustainable production or sustainable products. The waste
products that are produced by the by-products or the production system is another aspect of the
production system that used to evaluate sustainability. Thirdly, product packaging is another
framework that is used to evaluate or analyze sustainable production system. Fourthly, energy

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consumption is another indicator of the sustainable production (Hensmans, Gerry & Yip 2013,
p. 141).
2.2.3 Economic sustainability
The cost of the production and products is another aspect of the sustainability that is used
to evaluate the sustainability and sustainable products. The cost-effective approach to
sustainability production focuses on both customers and the producer benefits of economic
sustainability production and products. The cost-effective sustainable production aims to save the
cost of production that is beneficial to the producer. Secondly, the economic sustainability of the
products aims to meet customers need and at the same time, the products carry the overall
responsibility for health and safety of the customer. This implies that the product needs to
consider the safety and the impact of the product consumption on the economic status of the
consumer (Laszlo & Zhexembayeva 2011).
2.2.4 Social sustainability
Social sustainability of the production and products focuses on the production of products
that has a social impact on the society and consumers in general. The theoretical aspect of the
social responsibility requires the company producing products. In addition, the social
responsibility is used to design the product that meets the current social need in the society.
Social sustainability framework also considers the social components of the intended consumers
of the products that are produced within an organization (Wandemberg 2015, p. 122).

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3. Clarity of explanation and evidence of the role of
Government in sustainable production and products
The government of the United Kingdom plays an important role in the sustainable
production and products as the government has developed policy framework. The government
identified sustainable production as one of the four key focus and these were identified in 2005.
The government has since developed the policy framework that monitors the production system
within the country to ensure that sustainable production is achieved. Firstly, the government
through its 2010-2915 sustainable business and environment aims to make the business and
economy more sustainable with minimal environmental impact. Within this policy, the
government highlights the importance of resource efficiency economy and environmental
management. This implies that all production systems should consider minimal environmental
impacts while reducing waste released into the environment. Secondly, the government has come
up with enabling policies that make the transition to a green economy with collaboration with
business such as Unilever (Morelli 2011).
4. Comparison of case study with others in the industry
sector
A comparison between Unilever and other companies within the same sector shows
disparities in sustainable approach and performance. There are many different companies within
the same sector and some of these companies include Nestle and Danone.

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4.1 Comparison between Unilever and the theories of sustainable
production and products
The company has utilized the theoretical framework in designing its production system
and products line. One of the elements of the theory of the sustainable production sis products
design and this evidence within the company as the company designs its products based on its
sustainable goals. Product design within the company is based on sustainable living brand and
some of these products are Dove, Lifebuoy, Ben & Jerry’s and Comfort (Frank-Martin & Peattie
2009). Secondly, key indicators of sustainable production are waste and the impact of these
wastes on the environment. This has been utilized by the company through its zero-waste
initiative that aims to reduce waste and waste impact on the environment (James, Magee, Scerri
& Steger 2015). Thirdly, principles of sustainable production aim to create sustainable products
ranging from raw material to the final products. This is similar to the sustainable responsibility of
the Unilever that can be traced from agricultural raw materials to final sustainable living brands.
Lastly, the sustainability of the production considers the economic aspect of the products and its
impact on the society. Cost effective drive of the Unilever aims to meet the economic
responsibility of its products in the market. The sustainable growth aspect of the sustainable plan
differs with the society need of responsibility as it is organizationally based (Unilever 2018).
4.2 Comparison between Nestle and Unilever
Nestle as a key player in the safe food sector of the United Kingdom has a comparable
approach to sustainable production and products. Nestle has a similar goal for the sustainability
as it also aims to enhance quality life and healthier future for the society. The only different
sustainable approach between Unilever and the nestle remains that the overall production system

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within the Unilever production system focuses on the sustainable raw material (Reinecke,
Manning & Von Hagen 2012). Secondly, another similarity is on the packaging where both
companies are rethinking on the impact of the plastic on the environment and sustainable
practice. Thirdly, Nestle has another approach to sustainable products that are different from that
of Unilever and this include recycling and reusing of materials used in a production system. In
addition, the company is comparable to Unilever on the basis of raw material where the Nestle
focus on packaging material as compared to Unilever that begins its sustainability production at
the sourcing of food raw materials (Martinne 2017).
4.3 Comparison between Unilever and Danone
Danone is another company that also produces similar products as Unilever and though is
an international company; its products are sold within the UK market. Firstly, Danone has also
been advocating for better health similarly to the Unilever although the main focus of the
Danone is on food as compared to sustainability as a whole. Unilever has been advocating for
sustainable production system yet has minimal focus on food as compared to Danone (Donone
2018a). Secondly, Danone has better lives as its second sustainable pillar and this differs with
those pillars of sustainable production found in the sustainable living plan of Unilever. This is a
society approach as compared to Unilever that has environment, economic and social approach.
Thirdly, better world goal of the Danone is similar to the environmental sustainable approach
that is used by the Unilever. The different between Unilever and Danone based on the
environmental sustainability is on the drivers for sustainability as Unilever consider the minimal
release of waste into the environment as compared to Danone (Donone 2018).

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4.4 The Unilever sustainable performance
The company has been ranked the best in terms of sustainable production and products in
the UK and regionally among the best. The company was ranked the fifth best sustainable
company in the UK owing to its sustainability approach. Firstly, the company's sustainability
approach aim at producing sustainable products with the traceable sustainable raw material (SAI
Platform 2010). Most of the competitors focus on other factors of production yet does not source
sustainable raw material. Secondly, the zero CO2 goal is impressive as its aims to reduce waste
released into the environment at all cost. Many sustainable indicators show that CO2 is the worst
waste that contributes to the atmospheric pollution and advocate for the reduction of this waste
release into the environment. Thirdly, the company has been performing within the UK market
due to its specific sustainable goals approach that is not found in the production system of its
competitors. Most of the competitors such as Nestle focus on society as compared to Unilever
that tries to tackle specific sustainable issues. Lastly, the company has a specific brand that is
dedicated to sustainable standards in the market. Some of these brands include Dove, Lifebuoy,
Ben & Jerry’s and Comfort and are label sustainable living brands. The performance of the
Unilever sustainable living brand has been great and the company is realizing its sustainable
growth objective (Jess 2017).
5. Conclusion
In conclusion, sustainable production and products is an important issue that needs to be
considered by manufacturers and other production industries. The theoretical understanding of
the issues indicates that product design, environmental focus, social focus and economic focus
are some of the sustainable production frameworks. Studies show that some of the indicators for

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sustainable production systems include sustainable inputs, chemical components of the products
and raw materials, the energy used in production and waste released into the environment.
Unilever company has been a good sustainable producer of food products as compared to its
competitors such as Nestle and Danone. The sustainable framework used by the company
include sustainable raw materials, sustainable packaging material, limited release of CO2 and
other waste into the environment and clear focuses on economic and socially sustainable
production.