Unilever has unveiled the complete list of palm oil suppliers and mills, which sees the personal care giant become one of the first industry behemoths to champion transparency in the tainted palm oil production industry.

Using palm oil for its soaps and cosmetics products, Unilever has detailed some 1,400 mills and over 300 direct suppliers it works with in a bid to inspire other companies within the industry to do the same.

Speaking in a statement, Marc Engel, Unilever’s Chief Supply Chain Officer, said, “Unilever believes that complete transparency is needed for radical transformation.
“This is a big step toward greater transparency, but we know there is more work to be done to achieve a truly sustainable palm oil industry and we will continue our efforts to make this a reality.”

The move comes as the scrutiny of the industry intensifies over deforestation and human rights abuses, with Unilever stating that transparency and the ability to trace the palm oil supply is vital in tackling these issues.