Businesses that ignore the threats of climate change and do not improve their efficiency practices are putting the lives of many people at risk, Unilever chief executive Paul Polman has said.
In an interview with the BBC amidst the ongoing COP21 climate summit in Paris, Polman discussed what his company had done to improve its own climate footprint, acknowledging the need to consider how Unilever engaged with more than two billion consumers per day.
Polman revealed that Unilever had cut its carbon emissions by around 65% compared to 1995 levels, principally from the use of deforestation-free sourcing, waste reduction measures in its factories and using sustainable agriculture wherever possible.
He called upon more businesses to “galvanise” a strong climate message and reserved special criticism for companies who failed to act. “Ultimately we put the lives of many people at risk,” he said.
Polman also condemned the UK government’s cuts to green energy policies enacted since the Conservative Party swept to victory at May’s general election. He said he would have expected the UK to be “more progressive” with its wind and solar support policies, with the government still to announce a formal response to a consultation on proposals to cut the feed-in tariff by as much as 87%.
“If it was my choice I would be very careful about that,” Polman said.