A recent survey of 6 European countries at the turn of the year surveyed their opinions on sustainable food. 64% declared that they believed sustainable products tasted better, which shows that good taste still exists.

Knorr (the soup people), part of the giant Unilever, commissioned the survey of 12,000 respondents. The country least likely to believe in the taste difference was the UK. Intriguingly, the British did buy the most sustainable food, despite their lack of taste as far as it is concerned!

Unilever has exerted itself massively to source 60% of agricultural raw materials sustainably, which is not so hot. Knorr itself can claim a much higher level of sustainable vegetables and herbs in its sauces, soups and seasonings (92%.)

The most interesting part of Unilever’s enterprise is in its Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) They are decoupling growth from environmental impact, auctioning improvements in health for more than a billion of its many overseas employees and others as well as “enhancing their livelihood,” in various ways Presumable that means more moves towards fair-trade and empathetic actions by their companies to deserving causes. Environmentally, it strives to be in the top rated concerns. Oxfam rates it as the most sustainable food and beverage company.

The rest of the world reaches for sustainable practices in all things, to keep up with the demands of Paris and COP 21 (concurrent with the Sustainable Sustainable Innovation Forum (SIF) The last time we examined finance, business and farming, among other responses, was here, with the excellent Economist Summit earlier this year. Now there lies a problem as reality sets in and politicians find that emissions may become less, or partly because of their decisions, even more threatening to global warming targets.