Unilever Unveils Project Sunlight

By Sam Lewis

Following its Sustainable Living Plan, mutli-national consumer goods company hopes to motivate millions to adopt sustainable lifestyles

Unilever is rolling out a new initiative focused on encouraging people to make responsible and sustainable choices as consumers for the common good of all people. The movement, being called Project Sunlight, presses the preservation of nature for the earth’s next generations. The program aiming to make the world a better place for children, and their children, launched on Wednesday, Nov 20 — Universal National Children’s Day.

Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan was launched in 2010 and is an ongoing process. Project Sunlight looks to build off the momentum built by the Sustainable Living Plan, aiming to make sustainable living both desired and achievable. Unilever plans to do this by helping consumers alter their behaviors and urging change. “As a global consumer goods company, we have extensive experience and research into what drives — and what limits — mass behavior change,” reads the company’s press release.

During the movement’s first phase, people are being asked to take three simple actions. First, Project Sunlight is helping people see a brighter future by watching a film aimed to motivate and inspire viewers. Second, the project asks participants to act by doing small things. Project Sunlight hopes that adding small individual efforts together will make a big impact, contributing to a better environment and society. Finally, Project Sunlight asks people to join the movement, becoming part of a growing community of individuals wanting to build a brighter future.

The project’s launch also incorporates a short film, Why Bring a Child into This World?, explaining some of the ideas behind Unilever’s ambition. “We know that parenthood creates a profound shift in people’s view of the world and what the anticipated future will mean for the lives of their children,” the Unilever release reads. The film shows expectant parents watching videos spotlighting problems in the world today. The video then shifts to solutions for those problems, showing viewers developing technologies and simple, sustainable actions to improve what resources the world has now. The narrator of the film reads, “Every day, more and more food is being grown with a revolutionary method. New technologies are making clean drinking water available to hundreds of millions.” The voiceover continues, “Illnesses that today affect millions of children a year will be prevented by simple everyday products.”

Project Sunlight’s web page features many programs on a variety of topics — food, water, hygiene, sustainable consumptions — that viewers can join. By clicking on the brand initiatives, users can discover more about the programs and learn now to get engaged. Each program is supported by a Unilever brand. For instance, Suave offers participants water saving techniques, how to employ them, and the benefits achieved by them. Dove body care offers help to girls struggling with self-esteem issues.

Jumpstarting the initiative, Unilever is supporting 2 million kids around the world by means of its current partnerships. It will also be delivering meals to schools through the World Food Programme. Additionally, the company will support Save the Children in efforts to provide clean and safe drinking water and improved hygiene through UNICEF. Though Project Sunlight is in its infancy, the project will likely do well as it develops, dependent upon Unilever delivering research and solutions to behavior change. Big lifestyle changes are not generally welcomed by people, but small steps completed by many over time can make a big impact. It will be interesting to see what Unilever and Project Sunlight have planned for the program’s participants after phase one. Stay tuned.

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