Unilever Partners for Sustainable Growth Strategy

Unilever signs its thirtieth strategic supplier partnership to support the company's sustainable growth ambitions. The partnerships now cover more than EUR3 billion of annual spend and support investment in growth, more sustainable practices and bigger and better innovations.

 

Last year, Unilever launched a specific program, called 'Partner to Win', to work more closely with its key suppliers. 'Partner to Win' has enabled the company to create more long-term partnerships in co-creating new capabilities. The latest partnership signing took place against the backdrop of the second annual 'Partner to Win Supplier Summit' in London. Unilever invited 160 strategic suppliers to meet senior managers from across the organization, gain a deeper understanding of the company's strategic priorities and to share latest innovations.

 

"Unilever has a bold ambition to double the size of its business whilst halving the environmental impact of its products. Our recent financial results and update on the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan show we are making good progress in both areas. However to achieve our ambition, it is vital that we work in closer partnership with our strategic suppliers to ensure faster innovations and invest sustainably throughout our value chain. In 2011, our suppliers invested an estimated EUR1.3 billion in additional industrial capacity to support our growth," says Pier Luigi Sigismondi, chief supply chain officer, Unilever.

 

Joint Business Development Plans (JBDP) are a key element of the 'Partner to Win' program. Each JBDP sets out Unilever's strategic business plans and provides a clear framework of how the two organizations will work together to deliver them over the long term. The plans cover all areas of procurement including packaging, chemicals, commodities and services.