New Unilever CEO Hein Schumacher has made it plain that not all of the company’s brands need have a social or environmental purpose.

In the CEO Update, the company is clear that it wants to differentiate its brands, and that as a result only some need be associated with wider good. The Update states: “Only some brands need a social or environmental purpose top support their unmissable superiority.”

Whilst the Update also states that the company’s commitment to sustainability leadership remains unchanged, the report also is unambiguous that the company sees its “sustainability strength” as being diluted by “too many long-term commitments versus short-term targets”.

The language marks a change od direction from predecessors Paul Polman and Alan Jope, who both saw environmental and social activity as a core value across all brands. A position not without its critics amongst the company’s investors.

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