At Hindustan Unilever, the path to growth is inseparable from the path to sustainability. Our ambition is clear: to achieve Net Zero emissions in our value chain by 2039. Every site, every operation, every building we manage is a step in that journey. The results so far reflect both scale and intent, with a 99% reduction in Scope 1 & Scope 2 emissions in our operations since 2008, a 50% reduction in water use within our factories, and a 62% decrease in total waste generated across factories. These milestones tell a larger story of action that is continuous, practical, and grounded in measurable progress.
The recent LEED Platinum certification of our Mumbai headquarters is part of this story. It is the first HUL site in India to achieve this recognition, and it signals that sustainability at HUL is not just about manufacturing lines or supply chains, but also about the spaces in which our people work and innovate.
What the LEED Platinum Certification really means
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the world’s most respected benchmark for sustainable building practices. Platinum is its highest rating – reserved for existing buildings that demonstrate superior performance in energy and water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and reduced environmental impact. For HUL, earning this recognition is not about a plaque on the wall. It is about proving that operational excellence and environmental responsibility can be designed into the everyday rhythm of how a building functions.
How the transformation took shape
Behind the certification lies a series of deliberate choices. Water, energy, and material resources are managed with precision, with savings tracked month after month. Renewable energy investments such as Green Tariff and Power Purchase Agreements ensure that the electricity we use is increasingly sourced from clean alternatives, while Renewable Energy Certificates complement this effort. Air quality is monitored within the premises, and continuous upgrades through audits, retrofits, and optimisation ensure the site keeps improving.
Our Workplace Services Team played a central role, working on the ground to keep global standards aligned with local execution. From compliance and data management to corrective action when needed, their work demonstrates that sustainability is not a one-time goal but an ongoing discipline.
What makes this achievement significant is not just the environmental gains, but the human dimension it adds. Beyond reducing emissions and conserving resources, the building is designed to enhance comfort and wellbeing, ensuring that the space reflects the same values of care and inclusivity that guide HUL’s brands and operations. In that sense, Unilever House stands as a living example of how growth, responsibility, and people’s everyday experience can advance together.
Being part of a larger journey
The LEED Platinum certification is one milestone in a much larger transformation. Across our factories, supply chains, and offices, HUL is embedding sustainability into its operations. The commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2039 in our value chain is ambitious, but it is also actionable and anchored in the tangible reductions we have already achieved, and in the systems we continue to strengthen.
Sustainability at HUL is not an abstract aspiration. It is visible in the way our sites conserve water, reduce waste, adopt renewable energy, and design for efficiency. It is visible in the way our people take ownership of the goals and translate them into everyday actions.