London, Rotterdam - Unilever and JD Logistics have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to drive sustainable business initiatives in the supply chain.

Unilever logo on the entrance of deodorant factory in Jiutepec Mexico

Building on our existing strategic relationship with JD.com, one of China's largest retailers, Unilever will work more closely with JD Logistics - an independent business group under JD.com that provides smart, digital supply chain and logistics services - to create a framework to identify opportunities for innovation and sustainable growth.

The agreement is grounded on a shared commitment to sustainability. The Unilever Sustainable Living Plan - along with Unilever's recent pledge on plastic reduction - and JD's sustainability strategy Green Stream Initiative 'Planet, People, Profit' will provide a joint framework for the agreement. We will explore opportunities to digitise and modernise the 'Unilever-JD' ecosystem, from plastic recycling and collection, to state-of-the-art 5G delivery solutions for millions of customers across the world, and develop less carbon intense transportation initiatives.

Marc Engel, Unilever's Chief Supply Chain Officer said: 'Today's agreement with JD Logistics is an excellent opportunity to drive future-fit supply chain solutions around the world. At Unilever, we are always working to deliver better, more sustainable products for our consumers. JD Logistics' network and technology offer exciting opportunities to enhance our consumer logistics and transportation capabilities, and to deliver even greater transparency, speed and efficiency across our supply chain. Together we can leverage our collective expertise and scale to give consumers better and informed choices and drive sustainable and responsible growth.'

Zhenhui Wang, CEO of JD Logistics said: 'We are delighted to strengthen our relationship with Unilever during this year's annual meeting in Davos. Since Unilever chose JD as a Chinese logistics provider over two years ago, we have worked together to provide Chinese consumers with an excellent customer experience. JD Logistics has long been committed to developing smart, digital and sustainable supply chain solutions, and this agreement is an important step in driving sustainable development for a better future.'

About JD.com

JD.com is a leading technology driven e-commerce company and retail infrastructure service provider in China. Its cutting-edge retail infrastructure enables consumers to buy whatever they want, whenever and wherever they want it. The company has opened its technology and infrastructure to partners, brands and other sectors, as part of its Retail as a Service offering to help drive productivity and innovation across a range of industries. JD.com is the largest retailer in China, a member of the NASDAQ100 and a Fortune Global 500 company.

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