Unilever Achieves Zero-To-Landfill Manufacturing Commitment in the UK

LONDON, September 8, 2011 -

- Unilever can announce that it has achieved its ambition of becoming a “zero to landfill” manufacturer in the UK.

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The FMCG company’s 11 manufacturing sites across the UK - from its PG tips factory in Manchester to its Colman’s factory in Norwich - do not send any non-hazardous waste to landfill.

The commitment is part of Unilever’s global Sustainable Living Plan, which sets out its ambition to double the size of the business whilst reducing its environmental impact.

Unilever has achieved its target in the UK by striking an agreement with its waste supplier Veolia to ensure that more than 97 per cent of its waste is recycled. The remaining 3 per cent will be converted into usable energy.

As well as Unilever’s manufacturing sites, the company’s two strategic research and development laboratories in Port Sunlight and Colworth Science Park, and its two major offices in Blackfriars, London, and Leatherhead, Surrey, are also included in the arrangement.

Tony Dunnage, Unilever European Eco-Efficiency Manager said: “This is a significant achievement for Unilever in the UK as we make progress towards reaching our ambitious sustainability goals. It’s a great example of how we are putting our sustainability strategy into action - by decoupling the growth of our business from its environmental impact. Today’s landmark demonstrates how our factories, office sites and R&D laboratories are more environmentally responsible, which is helping us to save money to invest in our business.

“Managing waste in a manufacturing process has similarities to managing waste as a consumer - it requires the application of the “three R’s” principle: reduce, reuse, recycle. While this announcement is all about our commitment to recycling, we are also determined to find ways to reduce and reuse the materials which we need in our factories.”

The commitment also helps Unilever meet its waste-to-landfill targets beyond the UK, since the company’s 11 manufacturing sites produce around 25 per cent of its overall European waste.

Unilever has reduced its total waste in manufacturing per tonne of production by 77% since 1995.

NOTES TO EDITORS

ABOUT UNILEVER

Unilever works to create a better future every day.  We help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others.

Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with strong operations in more than 100 countries and sales in 180. Consumers buy 170bn Unilever packs around the world every year, and our products are used over two billion times a day.

Our portfolio includes some of the world’s best known and most loved brands including twelve €1 billion brands, and global leadership in many categories in which we operate.  The portfolio features iconic brands such as: Knorr, Hellmann’s, Lipton, Dove, Vaseline, Persil, Cif, Marmite and Pot Noodle.

We have around 167,000 employees in over 100 countries, and generated annual sales of €44.3 billion in 2010.  For more information about Unilever and its brands, please visit www.unilever.com   

Unilever is Food Industry Leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Indexes for the 12th year running. We are included in the FTSE4Good Index Series and attained a top environmental score of 5, leading to inclusion in the FTSE4Good Environmental Leaders Europe 40 Index. We are also ranked 7th in the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World, a list compiled by Corporate Knights Magazine.  We achieved Platinum Plus standard in the UK’s Business in the Community Corporate Responsibility Index 2009, and were named Company of the Year in 2010.

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For further media information contact:
Paul Matthews
Corporate Media Relations Manager
Unilever PLC
01372-945-925 / 0775-276-8888
paul.matthews at unilever.com

Flip Dotsch
Global Corporate Media Relations Manager
Unilever NV
+31(0)102173715 / +31(0)611375464
flip.dotsch at unilever.com