Unilever Sustainable Living Plan Progress Report 2011

28 Unilever Sustainable Living Plan Progress Report 2011
REDUcInG WASTE VIA REcYcLInG
recycle Packaging
OUR TARGETS
5.3 Working in partnership with
industry, governments and ngos,
we aim to increase recycling and
recovery rates on average by 5%
by 2015 and by 15% by 2020 in our
top 14 countries. For some this
means doubling or even tripling
existing recycling rates.
We will make it easier for
consumers to recycle our
packaging by using materials
that best fit the end-of-life
treatment facilities available
in their countries.
5.4 By 2020 we will increase the
recycled material content in our
packaging to maximum possible
levels. this will act as a catalyst to
increase recycling rates.
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OUR PERFORMANCE
3.4% increase in recycling and
recovery rates, averaged across
our top 14 countries. some of
this increase resulted from
improved data.
1,700 tonnes of post-consumer
recycled materials incorporated
into our rigid plastic packaging
in 2011.
We have initiated a number of projects
from which we are hoping to select
the most successful to be rolled
out elsewhere. Many of our projects
incentivise consumers to start recycling.
others explore systemic solutions through
improving local waste infrastructure,
working with local government and waste
services providers.
recycling aerosols
As leaders of the global
deodorant market we want
more people to recycle
aerosol cans. In July 2010 we
started a pilot in partnership
with the leading Brazilian
supermarket, Pão de Açúcar.
It was successful and
has led to the permanent
introduction of aerosol
collection at Pão de Açúcar
sites. To date we have
collected more than 1,600
tonnes of aerosols through
110 collection stations.
recycling in the BathrooM
Although many consumers recycle
kitchen waste, the bathroom tends to
be forgotten. In 2011 we partnered with
RecycleBank in the United States to
encourage consumers to recycle Dove
and Suave shampoo bottles in return for
money off coupons. An online module
educated people about what they can
recycle, what recycling
symbols to look for and
then rewarded them
with points which could
be redeemed for goods
and services. The Dove
module was viewed
6 million times.
redUce Waste FroM
oUr ManUFactUring
OUR TARGETS
5.5 By 2020 total waste sent for
disposal will be at or below
2008 levels despite significantly
higher volumes.
this represents an 80% reduction
per tonne of production and a
70% absolute reduction (versus
a 1995 baseline).
5.6 all newly built factories will aim to
generate less than half the waste
of those in our 2008 baseline.
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OUR PERFORMANCE
over 62,000 fewer tonnes of
total waste † in 2011 than in
2008 – a combination of waste
reduction and waste recycling.
this represents a reduction of
40% in total waste per tonne
of production. †
compared to 1995, this
represents an 82% reduction
in absolute terms. †
during 2010–11 we incorporated
sustainability improvements
into every aspect of the design
specification for our new factories.
these improvements will be
incorporated in all new designs
from 2012 onwards.
By the end of 2011, 74 of our 258 factory
sites had reached zero non-hazardous
waste to landfill. our target for 2012
is to achieve this at half our sites as it
brings both significant cost savings and
environmental benefits.
† 2011 data is preliminary, see page 41.