Unilever Hits New Zero Zero Waste to Landfill Numbers

Unilever says it has reached a new industry-leading achievement of sending zero non-hazardous waste to landfill across more than 600 sites, in 70 countries, including factories, warehouses, distribution centers and offices.
 
Having identified the different non-hazardous waste streams in its operations Unilever has now found alternative routes for the waste from these sites.
 
In January 2015 Unilever announced that more than 240 factories had achieved zero waste to landfill status—by replicating this zero waste model in other parts of the business, nearly 400 additional sites have now eliminated waste to landfill. This has been achieved by continuing with the four ‘R’ approach (reducing, reusing, recovering or recycling), proving that waste can be seen as a resource with many alternative uses— from converting factory waste to building materials, to composting food waste from staff cafeterias, according to the firm.

Unilever’s priority is to continually reduce waste and embrace circular models. As well as maintaining zero waste status at these locations, work continues to bring all sites in line, including all future site openings and acquisitions. Unilever ultimately aims to achieve zero waste across the value chain. Continued efforts on zero waste provide a strong business case for sustainability – eliminating waste has contributed to cost-benefits of €200million and created hundreds of jobs, said the company.
 
Unilever also announced a new collaboration with 2degrees to help bring organizations together to leverage the zero waste model. The new collaboration program will go live in summer 2016, according to the CPG giant.
 
 “The global challenge of a growing population relying on limited resources is very real. Our zero waste goal underpins Unilever’s sustainable growth ambitions, as well as our commitment to become resource resilient and tackle climate change,” said Pier Luigi Sigismondi, Unilever chief supply chain officer.
 
According to Martin Chilcott, founder and CEO of 2degrees Unilever is “continuing to demonstrate the leadership necessary to tackle the biggest resource efficiency and sustainability challenges that businesses face. To achieve bold goals, such as zero waste in the value chain, we need equally bold action and collaboration at scale. I’m delighted to be working with them to co-create a programme, launching in summer 2016, to help make this happen.”