Unilever at COP31: electrification can support climate action at scale

At COP31, we’re sharing Unilever’s climate actions and calling for governments to accelerate the implementation of global solutions, including electrification, that can help reduce emissions and build business resilience.

Against a backdrop of worsening climate change impacts that pose risks to our business, COP31, the UN climate summit in Antalya, Türkiye, presents an important opportunity for Unilever to share our work to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to call for government policies that unlock faster climate action at scale.

Electrification is a priority theme of the summit, to help drive industry uptake of renewable energy. Here, Fiona Duggan, Unilever Global Sustainability Senior Manager – Climate Advocacy, who is at COP, and Sai Gadamsetty, Senior Supplier Climate Programme Manager, share practical examples of renewable electricity deployment in our operations and supply chain, and set out how governments can support a wider shift to industrial electrification.

By the end of 2025, we had reduced GHG emissions in our operations by 77%, versus 2015.^[a] It’s where we have most control over our climate impact, and renewable electricity has been a key driver. We’re using power purchase agreements (PPAs) in Spain, Poland and India that offer stable prices over a set period and in some cases lead to cost savings. We’re also generating solar energy on-site, and where renewable electricity is not available from local suppliers, we’re purchasing renewable electricity certificates. In Türkiye, host country of COP31, 100% of the electricity used across our sites is matched with renewable electricity.

We’ve also started to electrify our heating and cooling in our factories. To replace natural gas, we’re installing electric boilers and heat pumps, for example in India and the Philippines, and undertaking energy efficiency upgrades. The exact combination depends on local context and the factory needs – in Indonesia, we also use biomethane from palm oil mill effluent. Whatever our approach, switching to renewables helps boost resilience by reducing our exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets.

By the end of 2025, we were collaborating with almost 200 supply chain partners in the programme to help them measure, share and reduce the climate impact of materials we source. We focus on the suppliers who contribute most to Unilever’s emissions.

We’ve been working closely with a subgroup of suppliers to address some of the biggest emissions hotspots across our shared value chain. For example, we partnered with key aluminium can suppliers on the use of low-carbon energy to reduce emissions from our aerosol packaging.

Frequently asked questions

• What is industrial electrification?

  Industrial electrification is the process of replacing equipment powered by fossil fuels, such as gas-fired boilers, with electric technologies like heat pumps and electric boilers. When the electricity comes from renewable sources, this can help manufacturers cut greenhouse gas emissions.

• How does renewable electricity help reduce emissions?

  Renewable electricity is generated from sources such as wind and solar rather than fossil fuels. By switching to renewable power, companies can reduce the emissions associated with their operations and lower their exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.

• What is Unilever doing to transition to renewable energy?

  Unilever is increasing its use of renewable electricity and renewable heat across its operations. By 2025, 88% of Unilever’s electricity came from renewable sources, including for heating and cooling.