Dear Stakeholders,

I am pleased to share our Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) for the FY 2023-24. The Report aims to inform you of our sustainability performance. Our purpose is to make sustainable living commonplace. We are committed to sustainable growth by delivering products that meet the evolving needs of our consumers while minimising their impact on the environment. We firmly believe that sustainability and profitability go hand-in-hand.

Our business strategy charts a clear pathway for us to embed sustainability into our multi-stakeholder model. We have set forth a series of multi-year, time-bound commitments focused on vital areas such as driving climate action, protecting and regenerating nature, waste-free world, positive nutrition, health and well-being, equity, diversity, and inclusion, raising living standards, and the future of work. These goals are anchored on three fundamental pillars: improve the health of the planet, improve people’s health, confidence, and well-being, and contribute to a fairer, more socially inclusive world.

We believe that corporates will need to play an important role and partner in the nation’s growth by integrating environmental and societal actions into the very fabric of their business. In fact, the job to be done for India Inc. today – goes far beyond business growth. We must protect the planet, the people – in our value chain and the communities in which we operate.

At HUL, we have made significant progress against ‘HUL ESG Goals’. In our manufacturing operations, we have reduced our CO₂ emissions by 98% (per tonne of production), water usage by 47% (cubic metre per tonne of production) and total waste generated from our factories by 58% (per tonne of production) in FY 2023-24 compared to 2008 baseline. We are committed to Sustainable sourcing of our key crops; in this fiscal, 94% of our paper and board in packaging, 81% of our tomatoes and 79% of tea came from sustainable sources.

We are continuously trying to ensure that the growth of the business does not adversely affect the environment. In our journey towards net zero, we recently announced our collaboration with key chemical companies to pilot the production of near-zero emissions synthetic soda ash – a key ingredient in laundry powder. We also asked some of our key supply partners to pledge to work with us on emissions reduction by joining our global Supplier Climate Programme. Through the programme, we will provide tailored support aligned with industry standards, help upskill them, and develop their emissions reduction plans, to measure and share footprint data for the raw materials we buy.

We have been taking steps to address the problem of plastics as well. As a packaged goods company, we are cognizant of the significant role plastic plays in our business. But simultaneously, we realise the environmental damage it can cause. We are committed to using more recycled plastic. We aim to bring plastics into the circular economy, allowing plastic packaging to be recycled and reused.

Securing the future of water is a crucial aspect of fighting climate change. At HUL, we are determined to play our part. Through the Hindustan Unilever Foundation’s ‘Water for Public Good’ programme, we continue to build water conservation potential and enhance water-dependent livelihoods along with our partners. Since 2010, we have created a cumulative water conservation potential of over 3.2 trillion litres.

We have also been working towards creating a positive social impact, not just on the environment. Project Shakti, launched at the dawn of the new millennium with the vision of empowering women in rural areas, has been a resounding success. Project Prabhat, a comprehensive community development programme focused on improving the lives and livelihoods of people living in and around HUL factories, has, to date, positively impacted the lives of nearly 10 million people.

We realise that sustainability is a continuous journey, and we all are responsible for ensuring that our growth is sustainable and inclusive. I look forward to everyone’s support in this journey to make a meaningful difference.