Unilever
What do our scores mean?
The organizational score represents the degree to which the organization influencing climate policy and legislation. Corporations also have relationship scores reflecting their links with influencers like trade associations. Both are combined to place the corporation in a performance band. Full details can be found here.
Engagement Intensity
The engagement intensity (EI) is a metric of the extent to which the company is engaging on climate change policy matters, whether positively or negatively. It is a number from 0 (no engagement at all) to 100 (full engagement on all queries/data points). Clearly energy companies are more affected by climate regulations and will have a higher EI than, for example retailers. So an organization’s score should be looked at in conjunction with this metric to gauge the amount of evidence we are using in each case as a basis for scoring. On our scale, an EI of more than 35 indicates a relatively large amount of climate policy engagement.
Relationship Score, December 2020
A new batch of industry associations has been uploaded onto the InfluenceMap system and the relationship scores recalculated accordingly.
- Details of Organization Score
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What do the 0,1,2 and NSs, NAs mean?
Each cell in the organization's matrix presents a chance for us to assess each data source against our column of climate change policy queries. We score from -2 to 2, with negative scores representing evidence of obstructive influence. "NA" means "not applicable" and "NS" means "not scored" - that is we did not find any evidence either way. In both cases, the cell's weighting is re-distributed over others. Red and blue cells represent highly interesting negative or positive influence respectively. Full details can be found here.
- Details of Relationship Score
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What is the Relationship Score
A corporation, as well as its organizational score will have a relationship score. It is computed by aggregating the organizational scores of the Influencers (trade bodies etc.) it has relationships with, weighted by both the strength of these relationships and the relative importance of the Influencers towards climate change policy. Full details can be found here.
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QUERIES
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DATA SOURCES | |||||||
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Main Web Site
The main organizational Web site of the company and its direct links to major affiliates and attached documents. |
Social Media
We search other media and sites funded or controlled by the organization, such as social media (Twitter, Facebook) and direct advertising campaigns of the organization. |
CDP Responses
We assess and score responses to two questions from CDP's climate change information request (12.3 a & 12.3c) related to political influence questions (currently these are not numerically scored by the CDP process). |
Legislative Consultations
Comments from the entity being scored on governmental regulatory consultation processes, including those obtained by InfluenceMap through Freedom of Information requests. |
Media Reports
Here we search in a consistent manner (the organization name and relevant query search terms) a set of web sites of representing reputable news or data aggregations. Supported by targeted searches of proprietary databases. |
CEO Messaging
Here we search in a consistent manner (the CEO/Chairman, organization name and relevant query search terms) a set of web sites of representing reputable news or data aggregations. Supported by targeted searches of proprietary databases. |
Financial Disclosures
We search 10-K and 20-F SEC filings where available, and non US equivalents where not. . |
EU Register
Information provided by to the voluntary EU Transparency Register. |
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Climate Science Transparency
Is the organisation being transparent about climate change science? |
2
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1
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NA | NS | NS |
1
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2
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NA |
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Climate Science Stance
Is the organization supporting the science of climate change and the response demanded (as per the IPCC) |
2
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1
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NA |
2
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2
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2
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NS | NA |
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Need for Climate Regulation
To what extent does the organization express the need for climate policy and regulations in general. |
1
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1
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NS |
2
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2
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1
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NS | NA |
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UN Treaty Support
Is the organization supporting a global treaty on climate change and the UN FCCC process? |
1
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1
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NA | NS |
2
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1
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NS | NA |
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Transparency on Legislation
Is the organisation being transparent about their positions on climate change legislation and policy, including CEO statements. |
1
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NA |
1
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NA | NA | NA | NS | NA |
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Carbon Tax
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: carbon tax. |
0
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0
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NS | NS |
2
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NS | NS | NA |
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Emissions Trading
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: emissions trading. |
0
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1
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2
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NS |
2
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1
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NS | NA |
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Energy Efficiency Standards
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: Energy efficiency standards and targets |
2
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1
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2
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NS |
2
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2
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NS | NA |
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Renewable Energy Legislation
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: Renewable energy targets, subsidies and legislation. |
1
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2
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2
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NS |
2
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NS | NS | NA |
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Energy Policy and Mix
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: energy policy and the energy mix. We refer to IPCC thinking on renewables, coal, oil and gas. |
1
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1
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2
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NS |
1
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2
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NS | NA |
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GHG Emission Standards
Is the organisation supporting policy and legislative measures to address climate change: GHG emission standards and targets. |
2
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1
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2
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2
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1
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2
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NS | NA |
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Disclosure on Relationships
The Caring for Climate “inventory” of climate change policy influences: Are companies being transparent about their business associations which may impact climate debate and policy |
0
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NS |
1
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NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Open PDF file of Data Source
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Unilever is an indirect member of MEDEF through AFISE which is a member of France Chimie
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Unilever has publically communicated to its trade groups that it supports strong climate policy and has asked them to confirm whether they have alignment with this. [Extract]: Unilever advocates for policies that advance the goal of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change to limit the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees, and ideally no more than 1.5 degrees, above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. We believe this means achieving a net zero emissions world by 2050. [...] would be grateful if you could confirm whether, as a trade association or business group of which Unilever is a member, your current lobbying position on climate policy is consistent with Unilever’s position and the 1.5 degree ambition set out in the Paris Agreement.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Unilever has indirect relationship with MEDEF through ANIA. A Unilever France senior executive is on the board of a ANIA
Nicolas LIABEUF
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Unilever is an indirect member of MEDEF through AFISE which is a member of France Chimie
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Unilever has publically communicated to its trade groups that it supports strong climate policy and has asked them to confirm whether they have alignment with this. [Extract]: Unilever advocates for policies that advance the goal of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change to limit the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees, and ideally no more than 1.5 degrees, above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. We believe this means achieving a net zero emissions world by 2050. [...] would be grateful if you could confirm whether, as a trade association or business group of which Unilever is a member, your current lobbying position on climate policy is consistent with Unilever’s position and the 1.5 degree ambition set out in the Paris Agreement.
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Unilever has indirect relationship with MEDEF through ANIA. A Unilever France senior executive is on the board of a ANIA
Nicolas LIABEUF
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Unilever has publicly communicated to its trade groups that it supports strong climate policy and has asked them to confirm whether they have alignment with this. [Extract]: Unilever advocates for policies that advance the goal of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change to limit the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees, and ideally no more than 1.5 degrees, above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. We believe this means achieving a net zero emissions world by 2050. [...] would be grateful if you could confirm whether, as a trade association or business group of which Unilever is a member, your current lobbying position on climate policy is consistent with Unilever’s position and the 1.5 degree ambition set out in the Paris Agreement.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Subsidiaries of Unilever are members of VCI
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Unilever has publicly communicated to its trade groups that it supports strong climate policy and has asked them to confirm whether they have alignment with this. [Extract]: Unilever advocates for policies that advance the goal of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change to limit the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees, and ideally no more than 1.5 degrees, above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. We believe this means achieving a net zero emissions world by 2050. [...] would be grateful if you could confirm whether, as a trade association or business group of which Unilever is a member, your current lobbying position on climate policy is consistent with Unilever’s position and the 1.5 degree ambition set out in the Paris Agreement.
not specified
InfluenceMap Data Point on Corporate - Influencer Relationship
(1 = weak, 10 = strong)
InfluenceMap Comment:
Subsidiaries of Unilever are members of VCI
not specified
How to Read our Relationship Score Map
In this section, we depict graphically the relationships the corporation has with trade associations, federations, advocacy groups and other third parties who may be acting on their behalf to influence climate change policy. Each of the columns above represents one relationship the corporation appears to have with such a third party. In these columns, the top, dark section represents the strength of the relationship the corporation has with the influencer. For example if a corporation's senior executive also held a key role in the trade association, we would deem this to be a strong relationship and it would be on the far left of the chart above, with the weaker ones to the right. Click on these grey shaded upper sections for details of these relationships. The middle section contains a link to the organization score details of the influencer concerned, so you can see the details of its climate change policy influence. Click on the middle sections for for details of the trade associations. The lower section contains the organization score of that influencer, the lower the more negatively it is influencing climate policy.
Unilever appears to actively support multiple strands of climate change related regulations and policies. CEO Alan Jope has consistently stated support for climate action in line with IPCC demanded emissions reductions and the company has frequently advocated for climate change regulation to facilitate these reductions.
In 2020, Unilever signed joint letters to policymakers advocating for regional cap and trade schemes in the US, specifically on the Pacific Coast and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in Virginia. The company has stated support for renewable energy legislation in the US on its website, and in 2020 in a joint letter to leaders of Congress advocated to policymakers to support the renewable energy sector in the COVID-19 recovery. Unilever supports ambitious GHG emission targets, and in 2019 in a joint letter to EU Commission leaders, it backed increasing the EU’s 2030 target towards 55%. The company also advocated to keep in place CO2 emission targets for vehicles during the COVID-19 pandemic in a joint letter to EU policymakers in 2020.
Unilever supports legislation to accelerate the transition to a low carbon economy and advocates for the removal of fossil fuel subsidies on the corporate website. In a joint letter to EU policymakers in 2020 the company advocated for the electrification of transportation.
Unilever currently has limited disclosure on its corporate website regarding industry associations and has not detailed the positions taken on climate change, nor its influence over these positions. There is, however, more detailed disclosure in Unilever’s 2019 CDP Climate Change response. Unilever has also taken an active approach to addressing potential misalignments, with its CEO in 2019 writing an open letter to the company's industry associations asking them to confirm alignment of their climate positions with those of Unilever and the 1.5°C ambition set out in the Paris Agreement.