Unilever VP calls for marketing to encourage sustainability

Speaking on Centre Stage at Marketing Week Live today (30 June) Nevett says that while it is hard to get consumers to take issues like sustainability, health, well being and global warming seriously, marketers must make the problems personal to consumers and make it easy for them to take action.

He believes that by offering consumers sustainable choices, Unilever gains the competitive edge in the market.

“If you look at the consumer mindset, abhorrence of waste has never been higher. People want to do the right thing if it’s made easy,” he said.

He said brands and businesses share the challenge of sustainability and impact on the environment.

“We have to change something if we want a sustainable future and doing the right thing for sustainability is also doing the right thing for business.”

Unilever plans to double the size of its business without any additional impact on the environment.

Nevett also called for industry collaboration in order to achieve sustainability and says “working in partnership is something Unilever believes in.”

As part of this sustainable drive, Unilever is working with the Department of Health on its Change4Life initiative.

Nevett also pointed to social media and digital platforms for creating an “age of transparency” that brands should seek to own and thrive in.

“Brands should remember that it’s now easy for consumers to look at a business and draw their own conclusions, so it’s in a business’s own interests to own the social media and digital space,” he said.