Unilever Adding Sustainably-sourced Tea, Palm Oil, Tomatoes

May 7, 2009

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

As part of its plans to roll out Rainforest Alliance-certified teas worldwide by 2015, Lipton is making the United States its next market for the product.

Lipton tea bearing the Rainforest logo will hit U.S. shelves in May, and the goal is that all Lipton products globally be certified, Vindi Banga, president of Foods, Home and Personal Care for Unilever, which owns Lipton, told Reuters.

Lipton markets about 12 percent of all tea sold worldwide.

Next up for Unilever is to exclusively use palm oil certified by Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil for its beauty products by 2015, Banga said, adding that the Netherlands-based Unilever purchases about 4 percent of all palm oil produced globally.

Also, Unilever, which had $61 billion in global sales in 2008, is developing its own criteria for sustainably sourcing tomatoes for its products, including Ragu tomato sauce. Unilever buys about 7 percent of the world’s tomatoes, Banga said.

Acreage certified by the Rainforest Alliance has ballooned. Farm and forest land certified by the group totaled 131 million acres in 2008, up 23 percent from 107 million acres in 2007, Reuters reports.

It’s not just Lipton adding to Rainforest Alliance’s portfolio of clients.

Gloria Jean’s Coffees International, a Sydney-based company, is nearing its 2010 target to sell 85 percent Rainforest Alliance-certified coffee, according to the article.

Email this story Print this post Add your comments

Advertisers

Enhance Sustainability. Improve Profitability.

Learn how at the SAP Sustainability Resource Center. >>

Unclear about the EPA's new GHG Rule?

Learn how it could affect your business. >>

EPA mandatory emissions reporting starts Jan 1st

CSA Standards can help your organization get ready for compliance. Find out how. >>

Survey Results: Product Environmental Compliance Best Practices

How to achieve compliance at a significantly lower cost. Download the full report. >>

Join the Discussion

Recent Daily News [ see all ]

11/20/2009
11/19/2009
11/18/2009

Charts [ see all ]

European Paper Industry Cuts CO2 Emissions by 42% since 1990

S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks

Nike Tops Annual Climate Action Scores

Oceans May Trap more Carbon than Forests

Jobs

View All Jobs >> Post a Job >>

Comments and Discussions

Trade Association on Trade Group on EPA Chemical Regs: ‘If Everything is a Priority, Then Nothing is a Priority’
"Seriously… that..."

Gary Markowitz on Supermarkets Tackle Emissions Reductions, Fuel Efficiency
"Supermarkets waste over 10 percent of their energy through improper..."

peter in ireland on Ontario May Follow California’s Lead on TV Energy Efficiency
"Governor Schwarzenegger is shooting himself in the foot! 1...."

Environmental Leader on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"The survey respondents (the PDF report mentions 4,000 respondents in 38..."

Jake on UPS Trying New Hydraulic Hybrid Trucks
"A point of clarification: the Reuters press release referenced herein reports that 20 UPS will purchase..."

Custom Organic Shirts on S. America Takes Most Urgent View of Copenhagen Talks
"90% of North Americans believe it is urgent to get a global climate..."

peter dublin on California City’s Green Building Ordinance Applies to Commercial Buildings
"Why energy efficiebnt regulation on buildings –..."

Environmental Leader