Unilever also participated in the "Green Living Day" hosted by the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE) on June 3 and 4. These initiatives cooperate with the Government to raise people’s awareness about an eco-friendly and sustainable lifestyle, recycling and reuse, and circular economy. 

Pioneering the Plastic Circular Economy model

The World Environment Day 2023 (June 5th) was launched by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) with the theme "Solutions to Plastic Pollution”, which concentrated on the “Beat Plastic Pollution” campaign. 

On this occasion, the MONRE hosted the launching ceremony for "The Ocean Day and the World Environment Day '' in the central province of Nghe An. This initiative focused on encouraging and creating practical actions that have power to raise public awareness along with specific activities to protect natural resources, marine environment and islands.

As the pioneer in Vietnam with the initiative of the Circular Economy in Plastic Waste through Public – Private Collaboration (PPC), Unilever Vietnam has collaborated with MONRE and other partners to promote plastic waste segregation at source, collection and recycling. Since 2020, Unilever's cooperation projects have collected more than 20,000 tons of plastic waste and created favorable conditions for plastic recycling activities in Vietnam.

"The Circular Economy of Plastics is an essential approach that not only solves and prevents plastic pollution, but also provides numerous socioeconomic benefits. On this journey, the support of government and the cooperation of partners, recyclers, NGOs, international organizations, and local communities play a crucial role in promoting the circularity of plastic packaging and bringing it back to serve production and daily life activities,” said Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Van, Chairperson at Unilever Vietnam.

Unilever has innovated its brands’ product packaging towards more environmentally-friendly approaches by the "Less plastic, Better plastic" model. This contributes to reducing plastic pollution in landfills and the ocean, and promotes the Circular Economy in Vietnam.

Unilever Vietnam has recently become the core member of the Innovation and Financing task force for Plastic Circularity under the National Plastics Action Partnership Program (NPAP) chaired by MONRE.

Unilever has constantly made efforts in the Net Zero race by achieving neutral carbon in the operations chain (scope 1 and 2) since 2021, and continues to pursue a zero-emissions supply chain (scope 1, 2, and 3) to 2039.

Since 2021, Unilever has collaborated with the Center for Communication of Natural Resources and Environment of MONRE to implement the tree-planting program "For a Greener Vietnam", with the goals of 1 million trees to be planted by 2025. As many as 380,000 trees and 60,000 seed balls have been sown in 19 provinces and 9 national parks, and over 500,000 young people have been reached and inspired. This activity also contributes to regenerating nature, creating positive carbon that helps Vietnam cope with climate change.

Unilever Vietnam recently launched the 2023 campaign of planting trees with the goal of 250,000 additional trees, making the total number of trees planted to 630,000.

Those achievements underpin Unilever’s further collaboration and closer companionship with the MONRE and the DONRE to raise awareness of and sense of community responsibility for protecting environmental resources, responding to natural disasters, adapting to global climate change, and embracing the importance of the ocean for humans’ life.

Unilever will implement commitments through not only their own action programs but also communication and education campaigns calling for people’s actions across the country. Nature can be regenerated if each citizen switches to a greener, cleaner and more responsible lifestyle.

Contributing to green lifestyle

Unilever Vietnam has also been involved in local activities. Specifically, the company participated in the "Green Living Day" hosted by the DONRE of HCM City in order to introduce environmentally friendly products, solutions, initiatives, and models of environmental protection to the community, thereby promoting sustainable production.

Through this program, Unilever Vietnam and the DONRE of HCMC helped raise public awareness and encourage specific actions on plastic waste segregation at source, collection and recycling.

In partnership with Duy Tan Plastic Recycling, the company brought to the event a plastic cycle model to illustrate the process of plastic waste sorting and collection, treatment and recycling into useful renewable materials. 

This allowed participants to witness a real-life circular economy model to gain a better understanding of the importance of plastic waste segregation at home, and practice at the event by exchanging used plastic packaging for Unilever's home care and personal care products with PCR-made packaging.

Unilever desires to encourage the consumer community to segregate plastic waste. Through just a small action of sorting garbage, consumers can join hands with manufacturers and recyclers to establish a circular economy model.

PV