20
Issue 08
MARCH 2020
CO R P O R AT E G R E E N I N G
Plastic PLEDGE
REAL OR A WASTE OF TIME? Plastic waste is engulfing our planet and corporate giant Unilever has made bold promises to stem the tide, but how will this affect the company’s local suppliers? Laura du Toit and Fred Kockott tried to find out
T
he multinational corporation, Unilever, now sees business through greentinted glasses, having unveiled a commitment to halve its use of virgin plastic. There was a global chorus toasting the pledge. Switching to reusable packs, concentrated refills and using alternative materials, the consumer goods giant declared that by 2025 all of its packaging would be recyclable or compostable. But how does it intend to make this a reality locally? KZN INVEST tried to find out, without much success. Consumers anticipating shampoo refill stations, cardboard deodorant sticks and toothpaste tablets might be applauding a little too soon. Sustainability is a buzz word, along with the climate crisis and veganism. Some households – probably an enlightened few – have recycling bins which rescue milk bottles and egg cartons from the dump. Some stores offer paper bags rather than plastic, and it is now fashionable to own reusable metal straws. Everyone is jumping on
the “green” bandwagon and Unilever has acknowledged that plastic pollution is a huge, worldwide problem. Chief executive of the South African arm of Unilever, Luc-Olivier Marquet, knows better than most how useful plastic can be – for packaging the millions of bottles of lotion, cleaning products and other consumer goods his multinational produces annually. But Marquet is also acutely aware of its downside. The father of two likes to spend family time at the
