If not them, who?

“UNILEVER SCALES BACK ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL PLEDGES”

Less than 5 years after the departure of Paul Polman, the business that led the global sustainability movement has announced a U-turn on its ESG strategy. Unceremoniously binning some key sustainability targets.

For many, this is a moment to weep.

But for me, it is a moment to celebrate.

Why?

Because when a system is broken (and ours is), but global operators like Unilever are seen to thrive, it’s role as a pioneer of the sustainability journey enables the rest of the world to become complacent.

The reality is:

• Unilever have been too slow to act
• Unilever have been too cautious in acting at scale
• Unilever haven’t had the courage to say to the markets “F**k you and your focus on short term profits irrespective of the cost to the planet”
• Most Global Businesses have watched from the sidelines, cherrypicking sustainability initiatives that suggest to the outside world that they are taking the issue seriously; whilst most CSO’s will tell you they are not.
• Being a Chief Sustainability Officer is, in most organisations, a thankless task.

And the result?

• Consumers have been hoodwinked into believing ‘all is in hand’
• We have soaked up the greenwash and the spin like a dirty sock in a Miele washing machine

Change is not happening fast enough or at the scale demanded by the challenges that face us

So it’s time for us to wake up

Not just to the risk of not doing anything

But to the opportunity that the failure of Unilever and other Global Businesses to deliver a sustainable business model, presents.

What has this got to do with the Global Village?

EVERYTHING!

Waiting for governments to take action has failed us

Waiting for ‘Big Business’ to take action has failed

So the only thing we have left, is community

Of course, one community in isolation is going to have no more impact than a single small business choosing to use biodegradable plastic made from seaweed for its packaging. It helps, but it’s not going to move the dial.

But what if the Global Village model works?

• If we can make it work, then in every Global Village community:
• Everyone will understand the importance of sustainability
• Everyone will appreciate the efforts made by businesses that care
• Everyone will be encouraged to spend with the businesses that put sustainability at the heart of their strategy
• WE can help the good businesses succeed.
• WE can make the bad ones fail

The Stock Markets CANNOT CONTROL the actions of 5 billion people working together across 1 million communities around the world; each with 5,000 people coming together to make ‘their community’ a part of the Global Village.

So ‘How do we get there?’

Our role

is to launch the Global Village with 50,000 communities in 2025

And to build each year to 2030

100,000 in 2026

200,000 in 2027

500,000 in 2028

750,000 in 2029

1 million in 2030

Your Role as a Business

Embark on your sustainability journey

Start a Global Village in YOUR COMMUNITY

Together

We will share YOUR sustainability story with EVERY Global Village around the world.

Ready to get started?

We recognise that not every business can afford a sustainability consultant, let alone a full time Chief Sustainability Officer, so we have built a suite of online courses and programmes; from short sharp “Introduction To..” courses to a Year Long Programme guiding you to becoming a “Net Positive Business” - inspired by the Paul Polman book.

Take a look at the Resources here:

https://sourceconscience.getlearnworlds.com/courses