This work also transforms how key Unilever suppliers experience sustainability financing – turning climate ambition into a practical, financially supported pathway for progress. No matter their level of climate maturity, they are incentivised to keep moving forward faster by being financially rewarded for delivering on Unilever KPIs.

The development of the WBCSD methodology and Unilever’s triple verification process creates trust among suppliers that sustainability assessments are consistent, transparent and fair – an essential element of supplier engagement and long-term behavioural change. It also allows other companies across industries to benefit from this framework.

Mid-sized manufacturing partners – often the most financially constrained – now access competitively priced liquidity through Citi’s streamlined onboarding, enabling them to upgrade equipment, reduce energy consumption and build resilience against cost volatility.

The initiative can also help suppliers to understand how their business practices may affect the communities in which they operate, potentially incentivising them to invest in practices that could improve their disclosed metrics, which could include:

• Cleaner production processes.

• Reduced energy usage.

• More efficient material consumption.

• Building a global blueprint.

Unilever aims to scale this finance model for key suppliers based in a number of markets over 2026 and beyond. The company is confident it will accelerate the reduction of its Scope 3 emissions and create a more resilient and future‑ready supply chain serving millions of consumers.