Unilever teams with Google Cloud for sustainability project

Google Cloud has partnered with Unilever for an initiative which will look to tackle deforestation using artificial intelligence and cloud computing with satellite imagery.

The two are collaborating on the first commercial application of Google Cloud and Google Earth Engine for sustainable commodity sourcing.

Using Google Cloud’s technology, they will build a holistic view of the forests, water cycles, and biodiversity that intersect Unilever’s supply chain as the latter works towards achieving a deforestation free supply chain by 2023.

Google Cloud and Unilever will work with a range of technology partners to build a centralised command centre. “This will provide a more complete picture of the ecosystems connected to Unilever’s supply chain and create a better mechanism for detecting deforestation, leading to greater accountability, whilst simultaneously prioritising critical areas of forest and habitats in need of protection,” a press release notes.

“This collaboration with Google Cloud will take us to the next level in sustainable sourcing,” says Dave Ingram, Unilever’s Chief Procurement Officer.

“We will now be able to process and combine complex sets of data like never before. The combination of these sustainability insights with our commercial sourcing information is a significant step-change in transparency, which is crucial to better protect and regenerate nature.”

“We strive to build sustainability into everything that we do. Unilever has been an industry leader in environmental sustainability for many years, and we’re excited to be on this journey with them,” comments Rob Enslin, President, Google Cloud.

“Together, we’re demonstrating how technology can be a powerful tool in aiding businesses who strive to protect the Earth’s resources. It will require collective action to drive meaningful change, and we are committed to doing our part.”