Unilever has created an online platform to collect technical solutions for reducing its environmental impact. The company aims to double the size of its business but wants to stay environmentally conscious.

Photo: Unilever’s new platfrom interface, a snapshot from www.unilever.com/innovation

On the web site, Unilever has published information on its research projects, which are focused on packaging initiatives and natural food preservation. The company invites potential collaborators to work with Unilever’s research and development team.

Projects can be found on the web site under the “challenges and wants.” It includes sustainable business ideas, such as multipurpose, lightweight and cost-effective packaging, technologies to lower the cost of providing safe drinking water etc.   Searching for ideas, Unilever will collaborate with universities, engineering and design companies, and environmental groups around the world, according to the company.

According to Bloomberg Businessweek, Unilever follows rival Procter & Gamble, which is now seeking to generate $3 billion in annual sales from products jointly developed with outside innovators. Unilever is intended to cut the environmental impacts of its products by 50 percent.

In 2009, Unilever launched its open innovation unit to work with outside partners. The share of external ideas that are adopted by the company’s business units has increased from 25 percent to 60 percent, said Roger Leech, Unilever’s open innovation scouting director in an interview to Bloomberg.

In January, Unilever has also announced the launch of The Unilever Foundation, created to provide hygiene, sanitation, access to clean drinking water etc.