Sustainable palm oil

Unsustainable cultivation of oil palm is contributing to deforestation and climate change. We are committed to moving the industry towards a more sustainable future.

Unilever is one of the largest buyers of palm oil, using around 3% of the world's volume. We use it to make products such as shampoo, margarine and soap.

More than 80% of oil palm is grown in Indonesia and Malaysia and the rapid expansion of the industry has accelerated deforestation. An area the size of Greece is cleared every year. Deforestation accounts for some 20% of all greenhouse gases – making Indonesia the third-highest emitter after the US and China.

We have long been convinced of the need to break the link between palm oil and climate change. We recognise the need to be able to trace where our palm oil is grown and keep our supplies segregated during milling, transport and use. In order to do this, we have set a new target to source all our palm oil from certified, traceable sources by 2020.