What do consumers want?

Certification or transparency?

Jan Kees VisGlobal Director Sustainable Sourcing Development Unilever

Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan (USLP)

what does it mean?

a sustainable business is a growing and profitable business

that delivers positive social, economicaland environmental outcomes

Sustainability

• fuels innovation & growth, with huge

potential in developing & emerging markets• builds consumer preference - consumers

won’t compromise• ensures you win with customers

and shareholders• reduces waste - reduce, reuse, recycle

Why?

SWEET SPOT

CONSUMERQuality

ValueConvenience

PLANETReduced impact

Drive GROWTH and BRAND preference by hitting the consumer sweet spot

SWEET SPOT

CONSUMERQuality

ValueConvenience

PEOPLEBetterLivelihoods

Drive GROWTH and BRAND preference by hitting the consumer sweet spot

Logo’s inspire confidence

Logo’s inspire confidence, but where is the evidence?

There is evidence, no doubt

DATASTORIES PICTURES

Communication has to meet different needs

LogoOn Pack

URL on PackStories on web site

Stories on web site& data, graphs, trends

Average consumer

Green

KOF

Can certification serve mainstream market?

• Unit of certification is individual farm (or mill, factory)

• Cost of auditing is high• Cost of monitoring and data collection is high• Proliferation of logo’s

• Consumers want transparency• Evidence of improved sustainability is required• This can be integrated in brand communication

Thank You

Discussion statement

• Certification is currently not transparent (and will never be)

Discussion statement

• Marketing is the solution to transparency