Unilever goes online for sustainable business

Online marketing platform has become a new channel for Unilever, the world's leading supplier of food, home and personal care products, to build a sustainable business model this year.

The convergence of Unilever's online resources, including its flagship store on Tmall, accounts on Sina's weibo and Tecent's WeChat and other applications on mobile devices, have been employed to enhance communication with consumers on sustainable actions.

Dorcas Lau, vice president of digital and e-commerce of Unilever North Asia, said they have found that consumers are generally interested in philanthropic activities and it is easier to encourage their involvement through leveraging online resources.

To alleviate the negative impact on environment, "we must channel our consumers into sustainable action and influence their actions, which is exactly what our online marketing platform is aimed for," she said.

Unilever in April announced a three-year sustainable living plan and efforts to further boost its ideas to bring about broader change on a global scale. Unilever CEO, Paul Polman, said: "In 2013, we have seen good progress, particularly targets that are under our direct control. Our plan is to save money, reduce risk and drive innovation and brands that are doing the most to embrace sustainable living and are enjoying some of the fastest growth."