Employees

A leaner, fitter business

During 2008 we continued making the changes we announced as part of our One Unilever programme, which aims to simplify our business structure, speed decision-making and improve competitiveness.

To drive efficiency, we combined around 6 000 R&D professionals into a unified organisation, while creating several multi-country organisations, led by single management teams.

The number of people we employ worldwide (174 000) stayed constant between 2007 and 2008 as we acquired new businesses as well as continuing our restructuring programme. As a result of restructuring and a number of disposals, around 5 000 people left our business in 2008.

Decisions that affect employees' lives and livelihoods are never taken lightly. Where redundancy is necessary, we communicate clearly what is happening, and why, making every effort to help employees find alternative employment.

Leadership development

A key part of the business transformation has been equipping our people, especially leadership teams, with the skills they need to deliver our business strategy.

For example, in 2008, our Customer Development function launched an online 'centre of excellence' on sustainability to share good practice from around the world. Meanwhile, our R&D function launched a new three-day sustainability foundation course to embed sustainability as a key growth driver. Sustainability training was also introduced for packaging teams.

Our new 'Standards of Leadership' framework has been rolled out across our operations, promoting behaviours that ensure every manager takes personal responsibility for delivering strategy.

Employees are also able to access specific training from our functional academies, such as the Marketing and Finance Academies.

A new online tool was launched during the year which will help ensure consistent management of employees' personal development plans (PDPs).

Health & safety

In the midst of this change, the health and safety of our employees remains a priority – a matter for continuous evaluation and improvement.

Our principal measure of progress is the total recordable accident frequency rate, which, in 2008, decreased to 0.21* accidents per 100 000 hours worked, down 19% on 2007.

Regrettably, three employees and one contractor lost their lives in 2008. The lessons learned from these deaths were communicated across our business.

People vitality

Our People Vitality programme provides employees with advice on health, wellbeing and effectiveness at work – and is already showing positive results. During 2008 the programme was rolled out to Asia, Africa and Latin America.

In office locations, another initiative enhances well-being through improved ways of working.

Diversity

Diversity in Unilever is about inclusion and embracing differences for better business performance and understanding of consumers’ needs. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants, and developing all employees, regardless of gender, nationality, race, creed, disability, style or sexuality.

We currently have 20 different nationalities among our top 100 managers, and are driving further diversity efforts through our senior-level Global Diversity Board, chaired by our Chief Executive Officer. A milestone was reached in 2008 with the appointment of former Non-Executive Director, Geneviève Berger, to the role of Chief R&D Officer on the Unilever Executive.

Gender

Initiatives include an expanded mentoring programme, new ways of working that promote life balance, our grassroots-based Unilever Women's International Network (U WIN), and the 'One More' programme, which makes team leaders responsible for increasing diversity through each new appointment.

Diversity planning

Aiming to embed diversity firmly into our day-to-day business decisions, our Human Resources planning process requires business units to develop specific, closely-monitored diversity plans.

We carry out quarterly measurement and tracking of diversity against our objectives.

Living our values

Each year, country chairmen provide positive assurance that their business adheres to our Code of Business Principles, a clear set of ethical guidelines designed to protect our business integrity.

Listening to employees

Our next Global People Survey will take place in 2010.