Unilever Scores High In Sustainability Ratings

An independent system of rating a company's  sustainability record has named Unilever an industry leader in food, beverages and tobacco. The Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) industry group leader report, compiled by RobecoSAM and Dow Jones, measures company performance across economic, environmental and social criteria. Unilever is one of only 24 companies to be named an industry group leader. It achieved a score of 92 out of 100.

"Unilever named as an industry leader in DJSI", News release, Unilever, September 10, 2015

L'Oreal Announces Carbon Balanced Plans For 2020

L'Oreal announced its goal of becoming carbon balanced by 2020. Made in the presence of the French president's special envoy for the protection of the planet, Nicolas Hulot, the announcement highlights the company's sustainable sourcing projects. As part of the campaign, the company aims to produce carbon gains that would offset the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from its operations. According to L'Oreal, since 2005, it has managed to lower its CO₂ emissions by 50 percent in absolute terms, while increasing its production by 22 percent, during the same period.

"L’Oreal announces its new "carbon balanced" ambition for 2020", L'Oreal, September 03, 2015

EPA Partners With Unilever To Assess Risks Of Chemicals Used In Consumer Goods

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Unilever are working together to find a way to test the safety of thousands of chemicals used in consumer goods without using animals. According to the EPA, the new testing methods represent a “paradigm shift” in chemical safety testing and risk assessment because they will be faster, safer and “more relevant to humans.” The EPA will provide data gathered from automated chemical screening technologies. Unilever will estimate exposures from these chemicals based on its experiences using chemicals in consumer products. The combined information will be used to create a risk assessment. An EPA spokesman said the research will lead to better ways to “evaluate the potential human health effects of new ingredients and chemicals we currently know little about.”

"U.S. EPA and Unilever Announce Major New Research Collaboration to Advance Non-Animal Approaches for Chemical Risk Assessment", News release, EPA, September 08, 2015

L'Oreal Supports Solvay's Sustainable Guar Farming Initiative In India

L’Oreal partnered with chemicals company Solvay to promote sustainable agricultural practices among guar bean farmers in Bikaner, a desert region in India’s Rajasthan state. Launched in 2013 by Solvay’s Novecare Global Business Unit, and also implemented by nongovernment group TechnoServe, the Sustainable Guar Initiative seeks to equip farmers with the “tools and knowledge” for cultivating the crop using good farming practices. Guar is the main resource for many farming communities in India’s semi-arid regions; however, yields are unpredictable, due to farmers’ reliance on monsoon rains.

"Solvay and L’Oréal team up to promote sustainable practices among guar bean farmers in India", Solvay, September 03, 2015