Unilever CEO pledges innovative sustainability solutions

Unilever chief executive officer (CEO) Paul Polman has given a speech on the role of science and innovation in promoting more sustainable behaviour among consumers.

Introducing the recent Symposium on Behaviour Change for Better Health in The Netherlands, Mr Polman said people need to be inspired to adopt greener habits when cooking, cleaning and washing.

He cited better products, new technologies and compelling ways of deploying behaviour change programmes as key parts of this, as well as a greater level of industry collaboration and investment.

Unilever has committed to helping a billion people to improve their health and wellbeing while halving the environmental footprint of its products as part of its Unilever Sustainable Living Plan.

"We need to take on the challenge of applying the best of our scientific and technological advancements and using them to work towards a sustainable future," said Mr Polman.

Last month, it was announced that Unilever placed tenth in the 2012 Gartner Supply Chain Top 25, its best ever performance in the index.