Unilever will reward customers through Recyclebank

Consumer products giant Unilever is embracing the carrot side of the carrot-stick motivation theory when it comes to teaching people about habits that are good for the environment.

The company has struck a deal with Recyclebank, a Web site that gives you rewards points for doing things like recycling old packaging and bottles, adjusting your energy consumption or even just watching training information about how you can be a greener consumer.

Unilever's deal with Recyclebank centers on the Dove and Suave brands and focuses on encouraging consumers to live a more "sustainable lifestyle" through six online modules. Recyclebank offers reward points that work like your basic frequent flyer program. You actually can earn reward points by buying discounted versions of certain Suave and Dove products.

The initiative is part of Unilever's strategy to halve its environmental impact by 2020 and source all of its agricultural raw materials sustainably.

If you poke around Recyclebank's site, you'll see that it's working with some other familiar companies and consumer products brands including Ziploc (which is part of the SC Johnson company), Macy's, Staples, and P&G Future Friendly. The company has had a very active 2011 so far, and in March it scored a spot on The Wall Street Journal's annual ranking of cleantech companies. So far, Recyclebank has raised more than $70 million; it operates in 29 U.S. states.

This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com