Unilver beauty brand Dove has joined forces with Conservation International to protect and restore 20,000 hectares of forest in North Sumatra, Indonesia over the next five years.

North Sumatra is home to some of the richest biodiversity in the world. The Dove Forest Restoration Project – which will target the South Tapanuli and Mandailing Natal districts – supports Conservation International in its agreement with the Indonesian Government to conserve and restore the region’s rich ecosystems and to promote the sustainable management of natural resources in ways that improve the livelihoods of the local communities.

The Dove Forest Restoration Project, which claims to be “one of the biggest protection and restoration efforts from any beauty brand to-date”, is estimated to capture over 300,000 tons of CO2 from the air and avoid the release of over 200,000 tons of CO2e emissions. These projected impacts will be monitored and evaluated in accordance with Indonesia’s articulated carbon policies.

Protecting and restoring the beauty of the planet requires more than straightforward commitments – it requires a complete transformation of the beauty industry, according to Dove. The beauty brand says that “real change requires continued partnership, persistent advocacy efforts, and commitment to do the work on the ground”.

Alessandro Manfredi, Global Executive Vice President of Dove, said: “Can we really celebrate beauty if it comes at the cost of the planet? The answer is no. We must demand action and care that goes further, both from ourselves and from the beauty industry at large. As a global brand with care at our core, we have a responsibility to use our platforms to drive change and positively impact the world around us.

“The Dove Forest Restoration Project builds on our commitments to caring for our planet and caring about how we make our products and what goes into them. With this long-term initiative, we extend this care to improving the health of the planet, striving for a more sustainable way of being.”

The initiative also builds upon ongoing plans Dove to achieve a deforestation-free supply chain by 2023 and net zero emissions from its products by 2039.

Sunny Jain, President, Beauty & Personal Care at Unilever, added: “Climate change is one of the biggest threats facing our world. That’s why it’s so important for Dove – one of the largest beauty brands in the world – to take meaningful and decisive action. Last year, we announced a €1 billion Unilever Climate and Nature Fund, and the Dove Forest Restoration Project will be its first major initiative.

“This is also the first step in Unilever’s Positive Beauty commitment to help protect and regenerate 1.5 million hectares of land, forests and oceans by 2030, which is more land than is required to grow the renewable ingredients in our beauty and personal care products.”

Rosa Medea is Life & Soul Magazine’s Chief. She writes about lifestyles including sustainable and green living