Consumer goods maker Unilever says its brands that most fully embrace its CEO’s passion for sustainability perform the best.
Of the more than 400 brands Unilever sells, those with the strongest sustainability credentials — such as Dove, Lifebuoy, Ben & Jerry's and Comfort — have seen sales grow at a high single-digit or double-digit rate over the past three years. The company doesn’t normally break out sales for individual brands. “These brands accounted for half the company’s growth in 2014 and grew at twice the rate of the rest of the business,” said Unilever CEO Paul Polman in a statement.
Consumers are “increasingly demanding responsible business and responsible brands”.