Unilever is one of the world's largest consumer goods companies with a turnover of nearly €40 billion and more than 200,000 employees. Unilever has been present in Africa for more than a century, making products in 18 countries and producing sales of around €2 billion. Unilever employs 40 000 people directly in Africa and over 90% of its 1000 managers are African.

Unilever is committed to managing and growing their business successfully and sustainably as a corporate citizen .

human development

Unilever fortifies many of its products with vitamins and minerals to supplement markets where health deficiencies are present. In Nigeria, Unilever is  also working with UNICEF to help educate school children about basic nutrition and oral care, and supports WaterAid to install wells and run hygiene-awareness campaigns in two rural states.

Unilever is a strong supporter of national business coalitions against HIV/AIDS in nine countries and internationally they also are active members of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS. Unilever’s company policy provides voluntary testing, counseling and anti-retrovirals are available to all employees throughout the business.

Unilever is the co-chair of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition  (GAIN) business alliance which is a global network dedicated to finding market-based solutions which address the critical issues of vitamin and mineral deficiencies worldwide. The Business Alliance is looking to achieve a triple bottom line– increased profitability, public health benefits and local economic development and sustainability.

enterprise and employment

Unilever encourages the distribution of its small packs and sachets through small stallholders who then can sell them in the open market. 

In South Africa Unilever provides women in low-income communities support from their small business start-up project, while in Kenya they support a development programme for smallholder tea growers.

Unilever has developed a scholarship programme to enrich the quality of life for South Africans through education and training by helping those from disadvantaged backgrounds reach their full potential, thereby bringing much-needed skills to the country.

climate for business

Unilever has pledged US$1 million over two years to the Investment Climate Facility (ICF), a new public–private partnership designed to follow up the Commission for Africa report and to promote business-led economic activity.

trade

Unilever is exploring a customs facilitation projects with countries in West, East and Southern Africa, to identify specific barriers and find ways to spread best practice benefits more widely.

Unilever has joined the Business Action for Improving Customs Administration in Africa ( BAFICAA )alliance who’s aim is to improve the way African Customs work so as to promote freer movement of goods from, within and to the continent, generate a more positive investment climate, create a more transparent and accountable system of revenue collection, and facilitate more vigorous intra-regional trade.

Details from a report (that was developed after consultation with over 90 businesses in 12 different countries) will be consulted and will inform the work of the recently launched Investment Climate Facility.