Environment Policy

Our Commitment

The company recognises its joint responsibility with the Government and the Public to protect environment and is committed to regulate all its activities so as to follow best practicable means for minimising adverse environmental impact arising out of its operations.

The company is committed to making its products environmentally acceptable, on a scientifically established basis, while fulfilling consumers' requirements for excellent quality, performance and safety.

The aim of the Policy is to do all that is reasonably practicable to prevent or minimise, encompassing all available knowledge and information, the risk of an adverse environmental impact arising from processing of the product, its use or foreseeable misuse.

This Policy document reflects the continuing commitment of the Board for sound Environment Management of its operations. The Policy applies to development of a process, product and services, from research to full-scale operation. It is applicable to all company operations covering its plantations, manufacturing, sales and distribution, research & innovation centres and offices. This document defines the aims and scope of the Policy as well as responsibilities for the achievement of the objectives laid down.

The Vision

Our vision is to continue to be an environmentally responsible organisation making continuous improvements in the management of the environmental impact of our operations.

We will achieve this through an Integrated Environment Management approach, which focuses on People, Technology and Facilities, supported by Management Commitment as the prime driver.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) is committed to meeting the needs of customers and consumers in an environmentally sound manner, through continuous improvement in environmental performance in all our activities. Management at all levels, jointly with employees, is responsible and will be held accountable for company’s environmental performance.

Accordingly, HUL’s aims are to:

• Ensure safety of its products and operations for the environment by using standards of environmental safety, which are scientifically sustainable and commonly acceptable.
• Develop, introduce and maintain environmental management systems across the company to meet the company standards as well as statutory requirements for environment.
• Verify compliance with these standards through regular auditing.
• Assess environmental impact of all its activities and set continual improvement objectives and targets and review these periodically to ensure that these are being met at the individual unit and corporate level.
• Reduce waste, conserve energy and explore opportunities for reuse and recycle.
• Involve all employees in the implementation of this Policy and provide appropriate training.
• Provide for dissemination of information to employees on environmental objectives and performance through suitable communication networks.
• Encourage suppliers and co-packers to develop and employ environmentally superior processes and ingredients and co-operate with other members of the supply chain to improve overall environmental performance.
• Work in partnership with external bodies and Government agencies to promote environmental care, increase understanding of environmental issues and disseminate good practices.

Responsibilities - Corporate

The Board and the Management Committee of HUL is committed to conduct the company operations in an environmentally sound manner. The Management Committee will:

• Set mandatory standards and establish environmental improvement objectives and targets for HUL as a whole and for individual units, and ensure these are included in the annual operating plans.
• Formally review environment performance of the company once every quarter.
• Review environment performance when visiting units and recognise exemplary performance.
• Nominate:
  • A senior line manager responsible for environmental performance at the individual HUL site.
  • HUL environmental coordinator.
• The Management Committee, through the nominated environmental coordinator will:
• Ensure implementation of HUL Policy on environment and compliance with Unilever and HUL environmental standards and the standards stipulated under relevant national / local legislation. When believed to be appropriate, apply more stringent criteria than those required by law.
• Assess environmental impact of HUL operations and establish strategies for sound environment management and key implementation steps.
• Encourage development of inherently safer and cleaner manufacturing processes to further raise the standards of environment performance.
• Establish appropriate management systems for environment management and ensure regular auditing to verify compliance.
• Establish systems for appropriate training in implementation of Environment Management Systems at work.
• Ensure that all employees are made aware of individual and collective responsibilities towards environment.
• Arrange for expert advice on all aspects of environment management.
• Participate, wherever possible, with appropriate industry and Government bodies advising on environmental legislation and interact with national and local authorities concerned with protection of environment.

Responsibilities - Individual Units

The overall responsibility for environment management at each unit will rest with the Unit Head, who will ensure implementation of HUL Policy on environment at unit level. Concerned line managers / heads of departments are responsible for environmental performance at department levels.

In order to fulfill the requirements of the Environment Policy at each site, the Unit Head will:

• Designate a unit environment coordinator who will be responsible for co-ordinating environmental activities at unit, collating environmental statistics and providing / arranging for expert advice.
• Agree with the Management Committee Member responsible for the unit, specific environmental improvement objectives and targets for the unit and ensure that these are incorporated in the annual objectives of the concerned
• managers and officers and are reviewed periodically.
• Ensure that the unit complies with Unilever and HUL mandatory standards and the relevant national and state regulations with respect to environment.
• Ensure formal environmental risk assessment to identify associated environmental aspects and take appropriate steps to control risks at acceptable levels.
• Ensure that all new operations are subjected to a systematic and formal analysis to assess environmental impact. Findings of such exercises should be implemented prior to commencement of the activity.
• Manage change in People, Technology and Facilities through a planned approach based on training, risk assessment, pre-commissioning audits and adherence to design codes.
• Regularly review environment performance of the unit against set objectives and targets and strive for continual improvement.
• Sustain a high degree of environmental awareness through regular promotional campaigns and employee participation through training, safety committees, emergency drills etc.
• Ensure dissemination of relevant information on environment within the unit and to outside bodies, and regularly interact with Government authorities concerned for protection of environment.
• Maintain appropriate emergency procedures consistent with available technologies to prevent / control environmental incidents.
• Provide appropriate training to all employees.
• Ensure periodic audits to verify compliance with environment management systems and personally carry out sample environment audits to check efficacy of the systems.
• Report environmental statistics to HUL Corporate Safety & Environment Group on a monthly basis.

Research and Innovation Centres

Since most new products and processes are developed in these Units, certain additional responsibilities devolve on them to ensure implementation of the Environment Policy of the company. In addition to the Unit Head's responsibilities outlined above, the heads of these units will:

• Ensure that a formal and systematic risk assessment exercise is undertaken during the process/product development stage with specific reference to environmental impact.
• Transfer technology to the pilot plant and main production through a properly documented process specification which will clearly define environmental impact and risks associated with processes, products, raw material and finished product handling, transport and storage.
• Ensure that treatment techniques are developed for any wastes generated as a result of the new product/process and is incorporated into the process specifications.