Unilever boss tells trade bodies \'we MUST reduce emissions to net zero\'

Unilever boss tells trade bodies 'we MUST reduce emissions to net zero'

Alan Jope has written to Unilever's trade associations asking them to confirm their lobbying is consistent with the company's net zero emissions goals

Unilever CEO Alan Jope has issued an urgent call for trade bodies around the world to support the "transformational changes" needed to tackle the "climate crisis", in an open letter sent today to all the trade associations and business groups that the multinational consumer goods giant is signed up to.

Acknowledging the need for radical action to reach a "net zero emissions world by 2050", Jope calls for "strong government policy that creates the right context for further change and accelerated business action."

He reiterates the importance of the goals of the Paris Agreement to keep temperature rises well below two degrees. "If we are to avoid the catastrophic consequences of global heating, urgent action is required to shift our economies onto a zero carbon pathway," he says.

As such, Jope asks Unilever's trade associations and business groups to write to him confirming their current lobbying on climate policy is consistent with Unilever's position  - set out in its manifesto on Global Climate Action - and with the targets of the Paris Agreement.

In a tweet announcing the new letter, Jope suggested that a commitment to the 1.5C temperature goal contained in the Paris Agreement was non-negotiable for the company.

The letter provides further evidence that Jope - who recently took the helm at the company following Paul Polman's decision to step down - is keen to build on his predecessor's high profile focus on sustainability. 

"The climate crisis has now reached a point where there can be no room for misinterpretation on the scale of the challenge, or indeed on the importance of regulatory measures to support businesses in driving the transition to a net zero emissions economy," Jope writes.

Jope's request for trade bodies to clarify their position echoes the United Nation's Global Compact's call for corporares to engage responsibly with climate policy, which argues companies should ensure their lobbying activities align with their public position on climate change.

There has been a series of scandals in recent years, where it has emerged that companies that profess to support bolder climate policies and regulations remain members of lobby groups that argue for a watering down of climate-related rules.

Unilever has previously played a role in the debate over lobby group's activities, having quit the BusinessEurope group in 2014 amidst reports of tensions over the trade body's stance on environmental issues.

The company has been widelty-regarded as a pioneer in corporate sustainability since 2010, when it launched its Sustainable Living Strategy. The firm has continually ramped up its sustainability ambitions since, and currently aims to become net positive carbon by 2030 and to ensure all its plastic packaging is fully recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2025.