Unilever Philippines has lent its voice to calls for climate action, highlighting how climate change not only impacts the environment but also leads to economic instability.
Unilever Philippines Vice President for Sustainable Business & Communications Ed Sunico, during the recent Climate Action Network (CAN) forum of the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity, highlighted how global threats such as climate change and social inequality are deeply intertwined.
This is the second installment of the U-Talk webinar, which is aimed at raising awareness on climate change. It is also meant to provide forum on how the private sector is stepping up in efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.
The global consumer goods giant had said last May its shareholders supported a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across its supply chain to net zero by 2039 through its Climate Transition Action Plan.
Unilever has, over the years, set in motion plans to achieve a range of targets and actions designed to deliver an emissions reduction roadmap across its operations, value chain, brands and products.
These included the transition to 100 percent renewable grid electricity in all its sites through its partnership with First Gen, plant-based food transformation, and the transition to non-hydrofluorocarbons (HFC) point of sale ice cream freezers.
It is also driving a plastic collection program through its Kolek-Kilo-Kita program in hundreds of barangays in the country.
In parallel to these efforts, the Department of Energy said it has initiatives in its pipeline that will support companies in their climate transition journey such as the DOE plan to support E-mobility in the near future.
"The DOE is advocating for the acceleration of the use of E-vehicles for Filipinos by providing dedicated lanes as a non-fiscal incentive," said DOE Undersecretary Wimpy Fuentebella.
"These green routes, once cleared by the other agencies, such as MMDA (Metropolitan Manila Development Authority) and DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), will help companies utilizing electric vehicles to become more efficient in their logistics," he said.
Also in attendance during this forum were Office of the Civil Defense Director Tecson John Lim, Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo, and MORE Power CEO Roel Castro.