Unilever, releasing its inaugural Climate Policy Engagement Review, urges industry associations to step up their engagement in climate advocacy. The company emphasizes the need for collaboration amongst various actors, including governments, businesses, and civil society, to tackle climate change and facilitate a just transition to a low-carbon economy.

While acknowledging their own progress in reducing emissions by over two-thirds since 2015, Unilever highlights the necessity for broader action beyond their operations. Strong government policies are deemed essential to create an environment conducive to business action and achieve global net-zero goals. Unilever actively advocates for policies aligned with the 1.5°C warming limit of the Paris Agreement. However, they acknowledge the limitations of individual companies and emphasize the crucial role of industry associations in influencing government action.

The review, titled “Climate Policy Engagement Review,” assesses the climate advocacy efforts of 27 industry associations Unilever collaborates with. It goes beyond simply analyzing their positions and statements, delving deeper into their public record of activities from 2022 and 2023. This shift highlights Unilever’s stance that mere alignment with the Paris Agreement is insufficient and requires concrete action for effectiveness.

The research revealed concerning findings. While 18 associations aligned with Unilever’s climate policy stances, eight lacked a public record of meaningful government engagement, and four displayed low engagement. Additionally, eight associations demonstrated misalignment with Unilever in at least one key policy area. While acknowledging the complex internal and external pressures faced by these associations, the review emphasizes the need to move beyond the “lowest common denominator” approach and encourages them to become active agents of change.

Unilever outlines various steps in the review to address misalignment. These include collaborating with associations to revisit their climate policy positions, establish dedicated climate subcommittees, and enhance transparency surrounding lobbying activities. While recognizing the challenges, they commit to focusing on practical and achievable actions for associations over the next year. Ultimately, Unilever aims for its partnerships to be catalysts for positive change and reserves the right to withdraw membership fees if significant improvement is not observed.

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This review marks the initial step in a broader initiative. As a member of over 600 industry groups, Unilever aims to achieve full alignment with relevant associations on climate goals. They plan to update the review annually to track progress and hold themselves accountable. By combining constructive partnerships with increased transparency, Unilever hopes to not only achieve their own climate goals but also inspire positive change across the business community.

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