Two Indian Unilever Sites Honored as World Economic Forum Global Lighthouses for Digital Excellence

#Unilever #WorldEconomicForum #GlobalLighthouse #SmartManufacturing #AILogistics #Sustainability #MakeInIndia #SupplyChainResilience #GreenTech #FourthIndustrialRevolution

"Recognition from the World Economic Forum highlights the power of our AI-enabled transformation in driving measurable impact, with energy efficiency up 29% at our Sonipat site and response times reduced by 72% at Haridwar." - Yogesh Mishra, Executive Director and Head of Supply Chain, HUL

June 2026 : In a major nod to India's manufacturing prowess, the World Economic Forum (WEF) has awarded two prestigious new Lighthouse designations to Unilever sites in Sonipat and Haridwar. The recognition highlights their trailblazing use of AI and digital technologies to drastically improve costs, quality, energy efficiency, and environmental impact.

Adapting to the frantic pace of modern e-commerce is no small feat, but the teams at the Haridwar site found a way to turn volatility into an art form. Originally designed for large-scale production, the site faced growing complexity from a 50% increase in SKUs and a fourfold rise in demand volatility driven by e-commerce and smaller order sizes. By implementing an end-to-end Fourth Industrial Revolution ecosystem, including AI-enabled planning, sourcing and magnetic levitation manufacturing technologies, the site reduced response times by 72%, accelerated changeovers by 40%, reduced minimum order quantities by 40% and improved service levels to 99%. This masterclass in agility earned them the WEF's Distinction in Supply Chain Resilience.

Meanwhile, the Sonipat facility took on some of the toughest ecological challenges of our time and proved that industrial growth doesn't have to come at the planet's expense. Located in a region facing severe groundwater depletion and carbon-intensive energy use, the site confronted growing risks to long-term operational continuity. By deploying AI-enabled solutions across regenerative sourcing, water management and energy systems, the site reduced scope 1 and 2 emissions by 99%, improved energy efficiency by 29%, contributed to a 37% reduction in upstream transportation and distribution scope 3 emissions across the Hindustan Unilever Foods portfolio, and achieved 100 times groundwater recharge while supporting 35% production growth. This incredible feat earned them the Distinction in Sustainability.

Reflecting on this monumental achievement, Yogesh Mishra, Executive Director and Head of Supply Chain, HUL, noted the profound impact of these digital integrations. "Recognition from the World Economic Forum highlights the power of our AI-enabled transformation in driving measurable impact, with energy efficiency up 29% at our Sonipat site and response times reduced by 72% at Haridwar."

With these dual honors, the Indian facilities join an elite global community of 238 cutting-edge industrial sites. They stand as living proof that when human ingenuity meets next-generation technology, manufacturing can become both incredibly resilient and deeply responsible.

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