This impact story is part of a series featuring companies that are members of One Planetary Business for Biodiversity (OP2B)/ World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). Through these stories, we aim to showcase our members’ commitment to driving the transition towards regenerative agricultural practices, the impact on farmers, and the role OP2B plays in supporting this transformation.

Unilever is advancing sustainable sourcing through its commitment to regenerative agriculture. Lucas Urbano, Head of Regenerative Agriculture and Sustainable Sourcing, and Jérémie de Charentay, Head of the Southeast Asia Livelihood Centre, lead a key Jasmine Rice project in Thailand aimed at improving farmers’ livelihoods and environmental sustainability . Local farmers involved in the project share their first-hand experiences and highlight the tangible impacts.

Unilever’s vision and commitments

Unilever’s journey towards regenerative agriculture began in 2021, when the company recognized growing challenges in its supply chains, including soil degradation, rising fertilizer costs and increasingly volatile consumer expectations. “We realized that simply continuing with certifications and incremental improvements would not be enough,” explains Lucas Urbano. To address these problems, Unilever formulated the Principles of regenerative agriculture with the aim of improving soil health, reducing CO2 emissions and increasing biodiversity, while placing farmers at the center of this transformation.

The company has set the ambitious goal of implementing regenerative practices throughout one million hectares worldwide by 2030which Urbano describes as “a north star for our program.” This commitment is supported by a strategy focused on working collaboratively with nature and local communities. Unilever’s regenerative approach spans 32 crops around the world, including US soybeans (with PepsiCo) and tomatoes in Spain, with promising initial results in key regions.

Innovation is central to this approach, prioritizing customized solutions over prescriptive methods. “We are not prescriptive; We co-create local solutions with farmers, leveraging their knowledge along with our own to find what works best,” Urbano emphasizes. A comprehensive monitoring system tracks key areas such as climate impact, soil health, biodiversity, water management and farmers’ livelihoods. “Our robust MRV (Monitoring, Reporting and Verification) system ensures that results are measurable,” he adds.

The jasmine rice project in Thailand

Jasmine rice, a premium variety of fragrant rice mainly grown in the northeastern region of Thailand, is vital to the country’s agriculture. Known for its long grains and delicate aroma, jasmine rice thrives in Thailand’s unique climate and fertile plains. It supports the livelihoods of millions of farmers and is one of Thailand’s most valuable export products.

In this region, many farmers lack formal training in rice cultivation. They face challenges such as land degradation, inefficient water management and lack of adequate support. To address these challenges, Unilever partnered with Kasetsart University in Bangkok to introduce simple and cost-effective solutions. A major breakthrough came through soil testing, which helped farmers reduce fertilizer use by 30% to 40%, reducing costs and improving soil health. “We have introduced cover crops and organic input production, allowing farmers to replace expensive chemical fertilizers with more sustainable alternatives,” adds de Charentay.

Local farmers are already seeing significant benefits. Thanyarat Worawongsong, a farmer from Khon Kaen province, shares: The soil has become looser and more fertile and we are using fewer pesticides, which makes our crops safer and increases our income.” Similarly, Suphaphon Chaiphuthon from Chiyaphume province points to greater resilience to both floods and drought.

With lower costs and higher returns, our revenue has improved compared to before.

Phonthip Phalanisong

The project has already achieved impressive results, including reducing input costs and increasing biodiversity. The next phase will expand the project to 4,000 hectares by 2025, with the long-term goal of covering 20,000 hectares. “Our goal is to cover 100% of our jasmine rice supply with regenerative agriculture practices,” explains de Charentay.

The role of WBCSD OP2B in the transition to regenerative agriculture

Unilever’s active role in the OP2B coalition is the cornerstone of its broader sustainability strategy.

The shift toward regenerative agriculture requires new paradigms and definitions of success, and coalitions like OP2B are essential to setting ambitious goals.

Lucas Urbano

Through OP2B, Unilever benefits from the shared experience of other companies, farmers and scientific communities. “OP2B helps redefine what agricultural success looks like, not only in terms of productivity, but also in terms of environmental and social outcomes,” explains Urbano. “It also provides the peer-to-peer monitoring needed to ensure that the shift towards regenerative agriculture is not just theoretical, but happens on the ground.”

Jérémie de Charentay echoes this sentiment: “At Livelihoods we firmly believe that change can only happen through coalitions. Whether at the strategic OP2B level or at the project level, these coalitions are critical for peer-to-peer support, solution sharing, and ensuring true transformation occurs both in the field and in business.”

Regenerative agriculture is a fundamental solution to transform the way we produce food, feed and fiber, benefiting the climate, nature and people. Over the next few years, the OP2B coalition will focus on unlocking three key strategic levers to scale regenerative agriculture: harmonizing measurement, fostering collaborations to support farmers’ transition, and advocating for supportive policies to create an enabling environment.