Business Must 'Step Up' On Climate Change

The boss of consumer goods giant Unilever has told Sky News he would work with rivals to help ensure big business "steps up" its contribution to tackling global warming.

Paul Polman issued the rallying call as the biggest climate change summit the world has seen, known as COP21, got under way in Paris.

It is being attended by the leaders of 151 nations - under pressure to deliver an historic deal to cut pollutants despite some opposition from emerging economies such as India.

It was also marked by an announcement that tycoons, including Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, are pooling cash to fund technology that will increase the world's energy output.

Mr Polman is among business leaders at the Paris summit.

He argues that governments alone cannot achieve what is needed and business has an opportunity to contribute and grow profits at the same time.

The chief executive of the FTSE 100 firm told Sky's Ian King: "In order to be successful long term we need to be putting out there ... a more sustainable and equitable business model."

He cited progress in his own company's Sustainable Living Plan.

The initiative, launched in 2010, seeks to decouple growth from its environmental impact - increasing Unilever's positive social impact at the same time.

The target is to double the size of the business while reducing its environmental footprint.

The producer of household products from Dove soap to Wall's ice cream said targets already met included eliminating hazardous waste from its factories and refusing products which result from deforestation.

It said earlier this year that innovations had also resulted in a drop of almost 40% in its carbon dioxide emissions.

Mr Polman pointed to "momentum" in major companies putting a price on carbon but suggested many had to think longer-term as consumers were increasingly choosing products and services based on their impact and sustainability.

On the idea of sharing information with rivals, Mr Polman said: "It's not only an idea it's a must. There are obviously legal frameworks we have to be very mindful of.

"I think these economies are still better off under a competitive environment and that is clearly defined by Brussels or any other jurisdiction but at the same time there are some elements of commonality which we all need to work together on ... for the interests of humanity."