The issues & our approach
Deforestation is responsible for approximately 20% of world greenhouse gas emissions and has an adverse impact on ecosystems and biodiversity.
Unsustainable patterns of cultivation of some of our raw materials such as palm oil and soy have the potential to exacerbate the destruction of remaining tropical rainforests.
In 2008 we agreed to support a moratorium on further deforestation in South-East Asia. At the November 2009 meeting of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) we supported the inclusion of greenhouse gas emissions associated with palm oil production in the RSPO Principles & Criteria.
Advocacy is an important part of our work to reduce deforestation. We are engaging with governments to stress the importance of implementing national energy policies that take into account the full greenhouse gas emission implications of land use change.
We were one of 87 companies that responded to the Forest Footprint Disclosure (FFD) project’s third annual Disclosure Request. Initiated in 2008, the project is designed to improve companies’understanding of their ‘forest footprint’ generated by the use of key forest risk commodities, namely soy, palm oil, timber, cattle products and biofuels. Based on our response, Unilever was named joint leader of the Food Products and Soft Drinks sector in the FFD’s 2011 Annual Review which includes the results of its analysis of companies’ responses.
The Consumer Goods Forum
At the UN Climate Change Conference in Cancun in December 2010, Unilever worked with Tesco as co-chair of the team charged with delivering the deforestation and refrigeration pledges of The Consumer Goods Forum. Participating companies agreed to mobilise resources within their respective organisations to help achieve a target of zero net deforestation by 2020.
The Forum also agreed to work with other stakeholders including NGOs and governments so that by working collectively in partnership the 2020 target can be achieved. The intention is to create funding streams and other schemes to incentivise forested countries to protect their natural environment and enable them to reach the goal of zero net deforestation, and still meet their own economic development goals.
Through the increased use of soy, palm oil, and paper and board our business creates many of the economic drivers that contribute to deforestation. However, we are confident that our commitment to combating deforestation will not result in additional costs to consumers. If crops are grown sustainably, yields will increase and input costs will fall, which should produce a win-win situation for both farmers and consumers.