Hindustan Unilever Limited

“Together we can change how the world does business”

Hindustan Unilever Limited is one of India’s largest FMCG manufacturing companies. It has a
laudable portfolio of products. Many of its brands being featured (for “Most Trusted Brand”) by top
market research groups such as The Nielson Company. Along with its impressive revenue generation
and progressive global outlook, HUL has also adopted sustainability initiatives and executed large-
scale projects successfully. Equipped with great reach to the masses and the resources to support
the same, the projects undertaken by the management of HUL addresses the most pressing issues in
current global scenario. All of this in accordance with the SDGs set by the UN

IMPACT HUL WANTS TO CREATE

 Enhancing Livelihoods:
HUL has undertaken UN guidance principles for reaching out the various livelihood of humans. Their
business relies on International Labour Principles. For HUL, the sustainability goes beyond the mere
conventional definition to eradicate poverty in rural areas. HUL has taken major initiatives in terms
of human development out of which two of them are listed below

1. Project PRABHAT:

The initiative thrives to improve livelihood of smallholder farmers. Their main objective is to boost
productivity, develop best practices and improve standard of livings. They provide water
conservation facilities and conduct health and hygiene awareness campaigns. From its launch in
December 2013 in eight locations, project Prabhat is now present in over 30 locations across the
country and has directly impacted over 1.7 million people.

2. Kwality Wall’s Vending Operations:

Their mobile van facility “I am wall’s” has given millions of small-scale retailers a opportunity to learn
all the basic business aspects in every part of India. More than 10000 people have benefited from
their entrepreneurship incubator cells. Most of them are making INR 7000 to 8000 per month.
3. Project Shakti:

This project worked for the women by providing livelihood-enhancing opportunity to for micro-
entrepreneurs in rural areas.

It has trained and mentored a lot of women( in thousands) in the rural part of the country to
develop an entrepreneurial mindset. A team of rural sales promoters from HUL train these women
entrepreneurs (Also known as shaktiammas) on various skills and how to manage their business.

Project shakti has successfully created 1 lakh microentrepreneurs across 18 states of India.

4. Rin Career Ready Academy:

It aims to educate and develop youths from lower backgrounds, with skills in English and various
online technologies.

Some key highlights HUL has achieved:

· Their major project SHAKTI has grown its network to 80,000 entrepreneurs and the number is still
increasing.

· 1.8 million people benefitted through Prabhat’s programmes in sectors of enhancing water
conservation, livelihoods, and health and hygiene.

· Rin Career Ready Academy fetched them Over 420,000 people.

· 200,000 women enrolled for Fair & Lovely Foundation’s online education programme.

 Improve Health & Well-Being

Diaharrea caused by not washing hands before eating is one of the major causes of infant deaths in
India. HUL has partnered with various children centric NGOs like PSI, Plan International, World
Association of Girl Guides & Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), Gavi, Project Hope and NGO Naman Seva Samiti
to promote their Handwashing initiative amongst children, specially of the rural areas, and change
their hygienic behaviour. Safe Drinking water is also a concern of the people of India and causes
many diseases in the rural as well as low-income urban areas. HUL with their acumen in R&D have
successfully provided clean drinking water at an affordable cost of 30 paisa/litre. Taking forward the
“Swacch Bharat” Initiative undertaken by the govt. of India, HUL has taken various initiative on the
school level to target the younger population. Introduction of Swachhata Doot (Messenger of
Cleanliness) and Swachhata Curriculum has helped in teaching the kids about the importance of
cleanliness and hygiene.

1. Result of these sustainability initiatives

The Lifebuoy Handwashing Programme through their advertisements and on ground initiatives have
reached over 67 million people and promoted better health by focusing on the hygiene of children
and people from rural areas. 83000 girl scouts have been trained under this initiative to promote
hygiene and cleanliness amongst the female population of the country, especially the ones who
reside in the rural regions. HUL by introduced Pure it, a water purifier that does not use electricity
and a cheaper alternative to purification candles that are used in conventional purifiers, has
successfully provided 96 billion litres of safe drinking water to the people of India at affordable rates.
With their classroom programmes HUL reaches to over 1.2 lakh students in over 1600 schools all
over India. Their mobile focused WASH communication model has helped them reach 6.7 million
citizens to help create awareness on the three clean habits in communities.

 Reducing environmental impact by half by 2030:

Apart from using renewable installations in production processes and offices, HUL has also ensured
the usage of alternative fuels, CNG trucks, 68,000 freezers and 2,500 mobile vending models with
Hydrofluorocarbon technology. Moreover, the increasing usage of video conferencing has reduced
emissions by reducing employee travel by vehicles.

HUL has been focusing on water recycling processes and rainwater harvesting. They have also
collaborated with 20 NGOs to reach 2,400 villages to inculcate good water practices among the local
communities residing there – through their ‘Water for Public Good’ program.

Their strategy to recycle 100% non-hazardous wastes and create 100% reusable packaging has aided
better waste management and “circular economy thinking”.

Sustainable palm derivatives used by HUL and the policies based on such agreements are against
deforestation, people and community exploitation, and promote transparency. 99% of the paper
and board used by HUL are certified as sustainable. 52% of sustainable tea sources were used in
2017. Kissan ketchup used 100% sustainably sourced tomatoes in 2017.
Results:

Due to the company’s tremendous efforts in each of their projects to enable sustainability, while
complying with SDGs,

• Carbon dioxide emissions from HUL’s factories have reduced by 54%, as compared to 2008.

• Water usage by these factories have reduced by 55%.

• Waste generated from manufacturing has also reduced by 54%.

Moreover,

• They have converted more than 13 thousand tonnes of plastic waste to energy by 2017.

• Non-hazardous wastes have been recycled completely and in an eco-friendly manner.

• The potential for water conservation has risen beyond 450 billion.

HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LIMITED- THE BRAND

Hindustan Unilever Limited believes that sustainable and responsible growth is the only model that
will meet the customer expectations and the growing market trends consistently, competitively,
profitably and responsibly. As an organization they believe that no business can grow at the cost of
our planet and our people.

HUL has made sure that all its goals are guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development
goals, hence targets creating a major impact on social, environmental and economic performance of
the organization.

 HUL has helped 1.24 billion improve their health and hygiene.
 Impact on the environment has been reduced to almost half compared to what it was few
years back.
 HUL has improved lives of millions of people through its various initiatives.

HUL spends Rs 116 crores every year for its CSR initiatives, as half of its customers already
want to buy sustainably. It has helped HUL outperform its own average growth rate with
revenue going up to Rs 1538 crores (2017-18).
What do people think of HUL as a brand ?
According to various customer and industry review analysis few points that highlight about
HUL as a brand now, are-

 Less exposed to price volatility, as reduced usage of energy and more natural raw
materials. Hence leading to less waste.
 Less risk is associated with climate change and sourcing material, as it focuses on
sustainable agricultural materials.
 Has built a lot of trust among the customer base and the employees.