Environment

WWF and Unilever Announce Partnership to Inspire Consumers and Help Protect a Million Trees

Jul 8, 2015 5:00 PM ET

July 8, 2015 /3BL Media/ - WWF and Unilever have announced a one-year, international partnership to engage consumers in the fight against deforestation – one of the key drivers of climate change – and help protect a million trees.

The partnership between the world’s leading conservation organization and the global consumer goods company will raise awareness of the importance of forests to life on earth as well as the threats our forests face. An area the size of England is lost to deforestation every year, while up to a fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions come from deforestation and forest degradation. With world leaders due to meet in Paris in December for UN climate talks, the campaign will engage consumers in the issues and give them practical ways to raise their voice and make a difference.

As part of the partnership, Unilever and WWF will help protect a million trees by supporting forest protection programmes in Brazil and Indonesia. These two countries have historically had the highest rates of deforestation in the world and have some of the largest areas of intact forest globally.

Marco Lambertini, Director General of WWF International, said: “This partnership with Unilever is an opportunity to engage millions of consumers for forests and for the climate, inspiring positive change in people's everyday lives. WWF's relationship with Unilever goes back to the 1990s when we worked together to establish the Marine Stewardship Council. Since then, Unilever has been leading corporate efforts and commitment to the planet. We hope others will be inspired to follow suit.”

Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever, said: “Stopping deforestation is an urgent priority in tackling climate change. Forests are second only to the oceans as the largest global store of carbon and support 80 percent of terrestrial biodiversity across the globe. As a business it is crucial that we operate sustainably and take action to help consumers live sustainably. It’s a moral imperative and a business one - to be here for the long term. We are delighted to be partnering with WWF to bring together a growing community of people that want to fight deforestation.”

From today consumers will be invited to pledge their support at https://brightfuture.unilever.com  In August 2015 a social media campaign will be launched simultaneously in the UK, Brazil, Indonesia and the US to engage consumers in the fight against deforestation.

For further information contact:

WWF: Rebecca Pain, rpain@wwf.org.uk  T: +44 (0)1483 412303, M: +44 (0)7971 149666

Unilever: Helen Dodd, Helen.Dodd@unilever.com T: +44 (0) 20 7822 6404, M: +44 (0) 7920 254 650

Notes to Editors.

WWF is one of the world’s largest independent conservation organizations, with more than five million supporters and a global network active in more than one hundred countries. Through our engagement with the public, businesses and government, we focus on safeguarding the natural world, creating solutions to the most serious environmental issues facing our planet, so that people and nature thrive.  Find out more about our work, past and present at wwf.org.uk.

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Food, Home and Personal Care products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2 billion consumers a day. It has 172,000 employees and generated sales of €48.4 billion in 2014. Over half (57%) of the company’s footprint is in developing and emerging markets. Unilever has more than 400 brands found in homes around the world, including Persil, Dove, Knorr, Domestos, Hellmann’s, Lipton, Wall’s, PG Tips, Ben & Jerry’s, Marmite, Magnum and Lynx.

Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) commits to:

  • Decoupling growth from environmental impact.
  • Helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being.
  • Enhancing the livelihoods of millions of people by 2020.

Unilever was ranked number one in its sector in the 2014 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In the FTSE4Good Index, it achieved the highest environmental score of 5. It led the list of Global Corporate Sustainability Leaders in the 2015 GlobeScan/SustainAbility annual survey for the fifth year running, and in 2015 was ranked the most sustainable food and beverage company in Oxfam’s Behind the Brands Scorecard.

Unilever has been named in LinkedIn’s Top 3 most sought-after employers across all sectors.

For more information about Unilever and its brands, please visit www.unilever.com. For more information on the USLP please visit www.unilever.com/sustainable-living/