The supply chain can a company’s best friend. If all goes well, the supply chain can help you avoid disasters like the Rana Plaza factory collapse and the horsemeat scandal.

Last week, in celebration of an effective partnership, Unilever honoured Maersk Line’s contributions to the former’s supply chain at a supplier summit in Singapore. The shipping company was recognised for its service, innovation and best practice in shipping.

Thomas Riber Knudsen, Maersk Line CEO for Asia Pacific says, “I am honoured to accept the award on behalf of Maersk Line which has been a result of hard work from all our colleagues. While Unilever plans to grow their business, they would also like to reduce their environmental footprint and improve their social impact. To help Unilever meet its ambition of sustainable growth, Maersk Line has signed a long-term business development plan, which outlines the companies' joint commitments and priorities for the next three years.”

Maersk Line is a major proponent of sustainability innovation and is transparent about the updates and changes it makes to its fleet in order to comply with and exceed environmental regulations.

The summit, which discussed sustainable global expansion addressed the future of Unilever’s business.