Unilever to scale back environmental and social pledges

Environmental groups say bosses should hang their heads in shame' as firm bows to pressure from shareholders to cut costs

Unilever is to scale back its environmental and social aims, provoking critics to say its board should hang their heads in shame".

The consumer goods company behind brands ranging from Dove beauty products to Ben & Jerry's ice-cream was seen as perhaps the foremost proponent of corporate ethics - particularly under the tenure of its Dutch former boss Paul Polman.