Unilever Professional

As sustainability becomes a greater consideration in commercial procurement, businesses are looking more closely at the products they use every day.

For procurement managers and sustainability leads, cleaning products can present a particular challenge. Businesses still need reliable solutions for commercial environments, but many are also looking for products that incorporate more considered ingredient choices and sustainability-focused developments.

This raises an important question: can cleaning products with more eco-conscious attributes still meet the practical needs of commercial cleaning?

The answer depends on the individual product, its formulation and the sustainability criteria a business is working towards.

What does “eco-friendly” mean in commercial cleaning?

There is no single feature that automatically makes a cleaning product environmentally friendly.

Factors such as ingredient sourcing, biodegradability, packaging and independent environmental certifications can all contribute to how a product is assessed.

This distinction is important when looking at Jif Professional.

Jif Professional incorporates several eco-conscious attributes, including naturally derived ingredients and formulation improvements designed to support a more considered approach to commercial cleaning.

For businesses assessing cleaning products, this means it is important to look beyond broad terms such as “green” or “eco-friendly” and consider the specific features of each formulation.

Naturally derived micro-particles

One of the key characteristics of Jif Cream Cleansers is the abrasive material used within the formulation.

Jif Cream Cleansers use 100% naturally derived micro-particles made from calcium carbonate, or limestone, rather than synthetic plastic microbeads.

The move away from plastic microbeads is relevant from an environmental perspective. Peer-reviewed research published in Environmental Pollution identifies microplastics used in personal care, cosmetic and cleaning products as a domestic source of environmental pollution.[1]

Against this wider environmental context, using naturally derived calcium carbonate micro-particles instead of synthetic plastic microbeads reflects a more considered approach to the materials used within the formulation.

Cleanboost Technology and naturally derived cleaning agents

Newer Jif formulations also feature Cleanboost Technology.

Cleanboost Technology places greater emphasis on naturally derived cleaning agents and is formulated to minimise chemical residues and harsh fumes compared with more traditional cleaning formulations.

For procurement and sustainability teams, these formulation choices provide a more useful basis for comparison than simply dividing cleaning products into “traditional” and “eco” categories.

Instead, businesses can assess the individual attributes of each product and consider how those attributes align with their own operational and sustainability priorities.

Can more environmentally considered cleaners still perform?

More environmentally considered formulation does not automatically mean accepting a lower standard of cleaning.

The US Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice programme requires products carrying its label to meet defined ingredient and environmental criteria while also performing comparably to conventional products.[2]

While this programme does not assess Jif Professional specifically, it provides independent evidence that cleaning performance and more environmentally considered formulation choices do not have to be mutually exclusive. For Jif Professional, the formulation is designed to deliver comparable cleaning performance to conventional abrasive cleaners while replacing synthetic plastic microbeads with naturally derived calcium carbonate micro-particles — a more considered approach to materials without compromising on results. In the Australian market, Good Environmental Choice Australia (GECA) provides a locally recognised third-party certification framework assessing both environmental and performance criteria. For procurement teams operating under government procurement guidelines or internal sustainability frameworks, GECA-certified products offer a validated route to eco-conscious purchasing decisions. More information is available at geca.org.au.

For Jif Professional, the focus remains on commercial cleaning performance. Jif Professional Cream Cleanser is designed as a high-performance, multi-purpose cleaner for professional environments, including hospitality, food service and industrial settings.

Jif Professional is one product within a broader Unilever Professional range where formulation choices reflect similar considerations. OMO Professional and Comfort Professional incorporate performance standards designed for high-volume commercial laundry, while Domestos Professional addresses disinfection requirements in high-risk environments. Across the range, the aim is to support practical commercial cleaning requirements alongside more considered ingredient and formulation choices.

How does Jif compare with traditional cleaning approaches?

Jif Professional provides an example of how cleaning formulations can evolve away from some more traditional chemical-heavy approaches.

The use of naturally derived calcium carbonate micro-particles instead of synthetic plastic microbeads is one example. Cleanboost Technology’s focus on naturally derived cleaning agents is another.

These attributes demonstrate how sustainability considerations can form part of commercial cleaning product development without removing the need for practical cleaning performance.

For businesses, the better approach is to assess what specific sustainability attributes a product offers, then determine whether those attributes meet their own procurement and operational requirements.

Supporting a broader sustainability direction

At Unilever, we continue to focus on reducing environmental impacts associated with ingredients, raw materials and packaging across our portfolio.

According to our 2025 Annual Report, over 60% of the greenhouse gas emissions within the scope of our net-zero ambition come from raw materials, ingredients and packaging.[3]

We also identified chemical ingredients used in laundry and cleaning products as an important area for emissions reduction. In 2025, we continued work to develop and scale lower-GHG alternatives for chemicals used within these categories.[3]

This broader direction provides useful context for businesses evaluating how suppliers are approaching sustainability, while the specific attributes of individual products should still be considered on their own.

Making a more informed cleaning choice

Choosing a commercial cleaning product is not simply about deciding between “traditional” and “eco”.

For procurement managers and sustainability leads, the more useful approach is to understand the individual attributes of a product and how they align with the needs of the organisation.

Jif Professional incorporates eco-conscious features including naturally derived calcium carbonate micro-particles and, in newer formulations, Cleanboost Technology focused on naturally derived cleaning agents.

These developments sit alongside Unilever’s wider sustainability direction while Jif Professional remains focused on commercial cleaning applications.

For businesses reviewing their cleaning products, understanding these distinctions can support more informed purchasing decisions.

View the Jif Professional range at Bunnings or explore our Jif Professional range to learn more, or contact our team to discuss supply arrangements for your facility.

References

[1] Zhou, Y. et al. (2023), Environmental Pollution, “Current research trends on cosmetic microplastic pollution and its impacts on the ecosystem: A review.” View the peer-reviewed study on PubMed

[2] US Environmental Protection Agency, Safer Choice. Products qualifying for the Safer Choice label must meet category-specific performance standards and perform comparably to conventional products. Learn about the EPA Safer Choice label

[3] Unilever, Annual Report and Accounts 2025. Unilever reports that more than 60% of GHG emissions within the scope of its net-zero ambition come from raw materials, ingredients and packaging and outlines ongoing work on lower-GHG chemical ingredients for laundry and cleaning products. View the 2025 Annual Report