Unilever has said that it will not keep its environmental promises. People who don’t like the company have said that they should “hold their head in shame” since the news.
In an interview, Hein Schumacher, CEO of Unilever, revealed that the company would be breaking some of its environmental and social promises. These included promises to reduce plastic use and pay gaps. Shareholders wanted the company to focus on the stock market and not on green projects, and they also wanted the company to find ways to cut costs.
It was said that Unilever would cut in half the amount of new plastic they used by 2025, but they have since changed their minds and now say they want to cut their plastic use by 2026. In the beginning, they said they would pay direct sellers enough to live on by the end of the decade. That promise will not be kept. It was also said that they would hire people with disabilities and spend billions of dollars each year on businesses that are diverse.
Other people said the company could still make a difference even if it had to break all of these promises. Some said they should feel bad for pulling back. Not all of them were nice. Some thought the company was going back on its word and not caring about how its actions affect the plastic garbage it causes.
Since Schumacher took over in July of last year, this has gone bad. Since she took over, Unilever shares have dropped by at least 8%, which shows that people are becoming more worried about the company. They were serious about their effect on the environment under the last executive, and they made promises and plans that were in place for ten years. Now, those promises and plans are being taken back.