Unilever meets 100% renewable electricity target ahead of time

By

Barbara Santamaria

Published
Sep 16, 2019

Unilever, the consumer goods company behind brands such as Pond’s, Dermatologica, and Dove, has announced that its factories, offices, R&D facilities, data centres, warehouses and distribution centres across five continents are now powered by 100% renewable grid electricity.

The transition was partly delivered through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) with renewable energy generators and green electricity tariffs, with 38% of its grid electricity supplied through these schemes. 

The rest of the group’s properties achieved the goal through Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) - openly-traded certificates linked to renewable electricity generation.

Additionally, the business worked with partners around the world to generate renewable electricity at its own sites, with solar power in use at Unilever facilities in 18 countries.

The renewable energy push is part of Unilever’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2030, and the 100% renewable electricity target was set for 2020.

Marc Engel, chief supply chain officer at Unilever, said: “The climate emergency is one of the most urgent challenges we're all facing. Our team have worked hard to secure renewable energy contracts for our sites across five continents, accelerating the delivery of our 100% renewable energy targets.

“Of course, there is more work to do, but we hope that today's announcement will inspire further action elsewhere and help to prove that it is possible to combat the climate crisis and hold global warming at 1.5 Degrees Celsius. Renewable is doable."

Unilever is joining brands, activists and political figures at the opening ceremony of Climate Week NYC later this month and will participate in the United Nations Secretary General's Climate Action Summit on 23 September.