Abstract
This case study of Unilever PLC, an acknowledged leader in green strategy, builds on a sustainability maturity model to develop a specific carbon reduction maturity model to show how a consumer goods company has evolved its strategies towards carbon reduction. Based largely on 10 years of archival data (2011–2020), this research analyses the narrative in the company's annual reports and carbon disclosure survey responses, using both quantitative (form-oriented) and qualitative (meaning-oriented) content analysis, to position it in a carbon reduction maturity model. Our results show the stages in Unilever's carbon maturity journey in terms of their strategies and performance over the 10 years and captures (through supplementary interviews) how various interested parties view this journey. This research demonstrates how the company's strategies and leadership may influence carbon reduction beyond the consumer goods sector, helping to define green stewardship.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 5419-5434 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | Business Strategy and the Environment |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2025 |
Keywords
- carbon maturity
- leadership
- stewardship theory
- strategies
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Business and International Management
- Geography, Planning and Development
- Strategy and Management
- Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law