Cases / Plastic waste and recycling claims · Global · 2021–2025
Danone, Unilever and BP scaled back sustainability goals between 2021 and 2025
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
Nature's voice · report
No measurement of the harm done to me here is on record.
Did nature suffer? Not measured.
Not on record
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
Danone replaced its chief executive, Unilever withdrew a plastic target and BP cut its low-carbon spending. Nature's stake: the plastic and emissions goals that were meant to reduce pressure on ecosystems.
What?
Three companies that had promoted sustainability targets changed course between 2021 and 2025, and the sources record changes of leadership or targets at the same time. ESM Magazine
Where?
Global. Danone is a French company; Unilever and BP are listed in the United Kingdom.
When?
Danone chief executive removed 15 March 2021; Unilever target withdrawn April 2024; BP investment cut 26 February 2025. ESM Magazine
Who?
Gained
- BP — Allocated 10 billion dollars to oil and gas after cutting low-carbon investment (KR4-93).
Lost
None on recordHarmed
None on recordWhy?
The sources record share performance, the pandemic and cost pressure alongside the target changes, and do not establish a single cause.
How?
Board changes, target withdrawals and capital allocation decisions, with activist investor pressure at Danone and BP.
6 of 6 questions answered from the record
What happened
The record, in order.
ESM Magazine reported that Danone's chief executive Emmanuel Faber, who had written social and environmental goals into the company's articles, was removed on 15 March 2021 after activist investor pressure. The sources cite share and sales performance as the reason.
Unilever withdrew a plastic reduction target in April 2024, replacing a goal of 50% with goals of 30% and 40% (KR4-92).
On 26 February 2025 BP cut its low-carbon investment to 1.5 to 2 billion dollars a year and put 10 billion dollars into oil and gas, during pressure from the activist fund Elliott, after a 2020 target to cut oil production by 40% (KR4-93).
A duty-of-vigilance lawsuit against Danone over its plastic use was settled with a commitment to add plastic risk to the company's vigilance plan, with no binding reduction path (Business & Human Rights Resource Centre).
In court and with insurers
Every proceeding and every insurer decision on record.
Lawsuits and rulings
No court case on record. No court has ruled on this case.
Insurers
No insurer decision on record.
What we don't know
Undisclosed, unproven, untried: recorded as data.
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- None on record Not in sources reviewed: a causal link between the sustainability targets and the leadership changes. The sources record them in the same period.
Did the harm stop?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Voices on record: — Company or project— Government and regulators— Courts✓ Press and investigations✓ Communities and civil society— Researchers
Press and investigations
- Danone confirms ousting of Faber as chairman and CEO after activist pressureESM Magazine · 2021-03-15
Communities and civil society
- France: Danone settles dispute with environmental groups over its plastic usageBusiness & Human Rights Resource Centre ·
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