90 years of doing good – why companies with purpose last

From its launch in 1929, Domestos has helped tackle the blight of poor sanitation. The brand has always known that this battle is about more than just killing germs – it’s also about education. In 1969, it launched the Domestos Hygiene Advisory Service, which provided sanitation information and education to health professionals and the public, and in 1977, it set up the Domestos Health Education Awards.

Since then, by partnering with UNICEF, local NGOs and governmental authorities, the brand has helped improve access to cleaner, safer toilets in communities and schools all over the world, reaching more than 16 million people – and aims to have helped 25 million people globally by the end of 2020.

Since 1957 Dove has been committed to providing women with products that deliver superior mildness and care. Beginning as a simple soap, the brand now makes beauty bars, shower gels, moisturisers, facial cleansers, deodorants, haircare and styling products, selling more than 9 million products every day.

Throughout, Dove has always supported inclusiveness and self-esteem – and for more than 15 years it has been helping parents, mentors, teachers and youth leaders deliver self-esteem education through the Dove Self-Esteem Project. Dove is now the largest provider of self-esteem and body confidence education in the world, so far reaching 60 million young people on its way to helping a quarter of a billion young people realise their full potential by 2030.

Love Beauty and Planet launched in 2017 with a 21st century sense of purpose that we think would have struck a chord with the founders of Unilever back in 1930. The brand is carbon conscious, offsetting any CO2 it produces by taxing itself and donating to sustainably minded partners. It’s proudly vegan and cruelty-free.

And it is the first Unilever brand to launch bottles made from 100% recycled materials as well as 100% Ocean Bound Plastic. In the US alone, since January 2018 this translates to the equivalent of over 36 million old 500 ml plastic water bottles being used to create Love Beauty and Planet bottles.

Knorr fully joined the Unilever family in 2000 – but the brand has been making quick, easy and nutritious products for more than a century. Founded in 1836, Knorr set up the first Knorr Kitchen garden in 1882, which gave seeds and cuttings to local farmers so they could grow the ingredients for Knorr products, and in 1886 it launched its first soups.

Working closely with suppliers to source fresh, quality ingredients for consumers while keeping the interests of farmers at heart, Knorr continues to live a sense of purpose. The Knorr Partnership Fund invests up to €1 million every year in co-funded projects with suppliers and farmers.

And in 2019, Knorr partnered with WWF to publish the ‘Future 50 Foods’ report, listing 50 of the world's most nutrient-dense plant-based ingredients – reflecting Knorr's ambition to drive positive change by promoting more diverse, plant-based diets that have less impact on the environment.

Wall's has been playing an innovative role in the community since even before Unilever was formed. The creation of butcher Richard Wall, who began making ice cream as a way to keep business up during the summer months, in 1922 Wall’s joined the family of businesses that would form Unilever in 1930.

The sense of community gained by selling from stalls and tricycles on the streets has never left the brand, which wants to inspire ice cream lovers to make their world a happier, more inclusive place.

The work has started within the brand itself. As well as industry-leading sustainable sourcing partnerships and commitments to responsible nutrition, Wall's is helping to create employment opportunities for people through the “I’m Wall’s” initiative. So far, the programme has created 45,000 job opportunities globally, reaching people who are distant from work because of youth unemployment or disability.