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From farm: through sourcing 100% of our agricultural ingredients sustainably

What does sustainable sourcing mean? How far have you got?

We worked with farmers and sustainability experts like Rainforest Alliance, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and the Fairtrade Foundation, to develop the Unilever Sustainable Agriculture Code (USAC). Our suppliers need to follow the guidelines laid out in the code, which means adopting more sustainable practices on their farms. The code covers 11 aspects of sustainable agriculture, for example soil quality, water usage and biodiversity. We check that farmers are complying with the code through self-assessment and verification.

Find out more about our sustainable sourcing strategy and progress [PDF (1.17MB)].

How does Knorr support farmers? 

In 2011 we set up the Knorr Partnership Fund which invests €1 million every year in co-funded projects with suppliers for their farmers. This helps them meet, or go beyond, the requirements of our Unilever Sustainable Agriculture Code. So far we have funded over 70 projects. Find out more about a sustainability partnership - PDF (2.67MB).

What's a knorr landmark farm? 

We reward the farms that demonstrate the best standards in sustainable sourcing Knorr Landmark Farm status. These farms have reached all the requirements of our code and exemplify the gold standard we want others to aim for. The farmers are passionate about sustainability and open their doors to share fascinating insights into everyday life on their farms. Since 2011, we have awarded over 30 farms globally with Landmark Farm status. Find out more.

How do I know if a Knorr product contains sustainably grown ingredients?

Look out for our Knorr Sustainability Partnership logo on products that contain these ingredients. This means ingredients in that pack have been grown by farmers and suppliers who have met the standards of our Unilever Sustainable Agriculture Code. We only use this logo when at least 50% of the product contains sustainably grown ingredients, or 100% of the main ingredient is sustainably grown. You’ll also find the ingredients highlighted on the front or back of our packs.

Is it the same as organic? 

Some people like to choose Organic products, and we have some organic product ranges. We believe Organic production alone cannot tackle some important food sustainability issues, like the social impacts of farming or increased land use and deforestation at a global level. This is why we developed the Unilever Sustainable Agriculture Code and its 11 indicators.

Organic certification is recognised by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), so we count Organic ingredients towards our sustainable sourcing targets and we use the Rainforest Alliance certification, which is part of the Sustainable Agriculture Network Standard, in some of our smallholder farmer supply chains for spices.

What about meat in Knorr products? 

We believe that it is important to ensure that farmed animals are reared in good conditions, and treated with good standards of welfare. We’ve co-developed our animal welfare standards with NGO Compassion in World Farming, our ambition is to reach what Compassion defines as ‘Level 3’ animal welfare for our chickens, cows and pigs. This means that animals have adequate space, light, environment and can live in enriched environments suited to their natural behaviours. Find out more about our commitment to Animal Welfare.

What about spices and smallholder farmers? 

As part of our 2020 ambition, we help many smallholder spice farmers in our supply chain improve their farming techniques and gain access to training and support. Find out more about our work to support smallholder farmers.