Unilever takes top spot in sustainability ranking

DutchNews.nl, March 31, 2015

Dutch food to detergent group Unilever tops Oxfam’s latest sustainability performance ranking for the first time, the Volkskrant reports on Tuesday. 

The Behind the Brands ranking of the world’s largest food suppliers on sustainability, now in its third year, gives points to ten companies in seven categories, ranging from women’s rights to the climate. The total which can be achieved is 70 points. 

For the first two years, Nestlé topped the list but Unilever has now overtaken them, scoring 50 points compared with 37 in 2013. 

Overall, the rankings show that things are improving. The total score in 2014 was 308 points (44.1%) compared with 229 points (32.7%) in 2013. 

Not one company scored a ‘good’ for any of the categories in 2013. This year there were six scores of ‘good’. Unilever had three of these, for farmers, workers and climate. Nestlé scored two (country rights and climate) and Coca-Cola one (country rights).