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Meeting everyday water needs--a company's contribution
1Unilever, London EC4P 4BO, UK. david.duncan:unilever.com
Summary
Unilever addresses global water challenges by linking consumer goods to water needs, focusing on reducing water use and degradation. Their approach uses water catchment perspectives for sustainable business strategies.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Business Strategy
- Sustainable Development
Background:
- Unilever's business is intrinsically tied to consumer water needs, encompassing both direct (actual) and indirect (virtual) water consumption through products like soaps and foods.
- Global water and sanitation challenges pose significant risks to long-term business growth, especially in emerging markets.
- Companies must decouple economic development from increased water usage and degradation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate how a consumer goods company can engage in meeting everyday water needs sustainably.
- To develop a framework for positive water impact at the catchment level.
- To break the link between economic growth and water resource depletion/degradation.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing a water catchment level perspective.
- Developing an experience-based model.
- Analyzing actual and virtual water consumption associated with consumer goods.
Main Results:
- The study outlines a model for consumer companies to positively impact water resources.
- It highlights the feasibility of engaging in water stewardship within a business context.
- The framework demonstrates how to achieve sustained positive water impact.
Conclusions:
- Consumer goods companies like Unilever have a crucial role in addressing water scarcity and degradation.
- A catchment-level approach is essential for effective water stewardship.
- Sustainable business strategies can be achieved by decoupling growth from water impact.