UNILEVER
INTRODUCING UNILEVER’S HEALTH &
WELLBEING PROGRAMME
NIKKI KIRBELL AND SHEILA
HEMINGWAY
TOPICS COVERED TODAY
 Return on investment
 Why we have support systems at Unilever
 The scope and size of Unilever
 The Unilever business model
 The health and wellbeing strategy
 Working examples from an R&D site in
Bedford
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Presenteeism
Healthcare
savings
2.99:1
6.38:1
Absenteeism
1.07:1
10.44:1
This means that in year one, the program
saved €10.44 for every Euro spent
THE BEGINNINGS OF UNILEVER
WHO ARE WE?
Unilever was formed in
1930 from two companies:
Margarine Unie and Lever
Brothers
It was a full business
merger, operating as a
single business entity
Margarine Unie
(Netherlands)
Lever Brothers
(UK)
THE MAN AND THE VISION
Invented by William Hesketh Lever in 1894
“To make cleanliness common place;
to lessen work for women; to
foster health and contribute to
personal attractiveness, that life
may be more enjoyable and
rewarding, for the people who use
our products”
William Hesketh Lever, 1890
Affordable Hygiene Against Cholera Outbreak
in Victorian England
ABOUT UNILEVER
Unilever is one of the
world’s leading suppliers
of fast-moving consumer
goods.
Our products are sold in
over 190 countries and
used by 2 billion
consumers every day.
UNILEVER FAST
FACTS
GLOBAL
TURNOVER
OF
€49.8
BILLION
AT END OF 2013
174,000
EMPLOYEES GLOBALLY
7,500
EMPLOYEES IN THE UK &
IRELAND
190
COUNTRIES IN
WHICH OUR
PRODUCTS
ARE SOLD
JUST SOME OF OUR UK
BRANDS….
OUR BUSINESS MODEL
OUR BRANDS
Strong brands and innovation
are central to our ambition to
double in size
OUR OPERATIONS
We aim to develop innovative
products that address different
consumer needs at different
price points
OUR PEOPLE
Sustainable, profitable growth
can only be achieved with the
right people working in an
organisation that is fit to win
SUSTAINABLE LIVING
The differentiator in our business model is our
Sustainable Living Plan and the goal of
sustainable living.
PAUL POLMAN - CEO
“Under the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan we want to
improve the health and wellbeing of a billion people around
the world. A key part of that is the wellbeing of our own
people, not only their physical health, but just as importantly
their mental health, particularly at times of change and
uncertainty. By listening and responding to their emotional
needs we give people a much better chance of fulfilling their
true potential, which is good for them and good for the
company.”
MEDICAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
GLOBAL STRATEGY
Our global strategy
focuses on health
protection and
promotion and covers
three key areas:
Promote Health
Support Agile Working
Health,
Wellbeing and
Performance
Expand employee health
programme
Measure performance
Control risks
Ergonomics
Prevention of
Occupational
Ill Health
Travel
Related
Activities
Immunisation
Travel advice
UK WELLBEING PLAN
Working towards ensuring both mental and physical health
are an equal priority within our organisation:
 A culture supporting an holistic approach to health
 Line managers lead and manage things that influence
and support a culture of health and wellbeing in the
workplace
 Excellent information, support and care to employees
who experience ill health for whatever reason and
energising employees to be the best they can be at both
work and home
LAMPLIGHTER IN THE UK
A common framework with a common set of tools
under four pillars – each with specific national and
site KPI’s
Leadership &
Management
Communication &
Culture
Building Resilience
& Developing
Employee Wellbeing
Support
Managers who
understand physical
and mental wellbeing
as a core element of
their people
management, and
leaders who consider
an individuals total
wellbeing as part of
business decisionmaking and capability
building.
A performance culture
is a healthy and
resilient culture, where
mental and physical
health are actively
discussed, managed
and understood to be
intrinsic to success.
Given that a
performance culture
needs to be a resilient
culture, interventions,
tools and techniques
will be put in place that
build organisational,
team and individual
wellbeing to meet the
needs of the business
and the needs of our
people.
Anyone in Unilever
should be no more
than one click, one
phone call or one
discussion from the
help they need if they
are experiencing any
issues with their health
and wellbeing.
Mental health
manager
awareness
training
Mindfulnes
s training
online
Onsite
health
checks
Lamplighter
Unilever
Personal
Resilience
tool
Employee
Assistance
Programme
Get Active
fitness
challenge
WHY WELLBEING IS SO IMPORTANT TO
UNILEVER
 Wellbeing benefits not only employees but the business
as a whole
 All 7,500 employees in the UK and Ireland have 24/7
access to support when and where they need it, as well
as a comprehensive range of training, information and
tools to enhance their wellbeing
 Managers are also equipped with
the skills necessary to deal with
health issues and as a result have
a more engaged and resilient
workforce
COMMENTS FROM
EMPLOYEES
“The support network that
the company has put in
place has really helped me
from Line Manager to
Occupational Health”
“Very eye opening and
educational training
session which has
catalysed a desire to learn
and understand more”
“We’re off to a great
start. Changes like this
take time, it’s as much
culture change as
anything”
“It's a great opportunity to
have this health check, quick
and easy, onsite. Provides
early indication of long term
health issues - I would always
opt into this sort of
programme”.
BENEFITS TO THE
BUSINESS
Employee
engagement
Reduction of
25%
in 1 year
Working days lost due to
mental health after
implementation of our
mental health programme
Recovery times
Absences from the business
Work related ill health
WORKING WITH EXTERNAL AGENCIES
UK Government Responsibility Deal pledges:
Occupational Health Standards
Mental Health, Wellbeing and Resilience
Healthier Staff Restaurants
Physical Activity in the Workplace
Chronic Conditions Guide and Unpaid
Carers
Physical Activity Inclusion
Health and Wellbeing Report
Physical Activity Guidelines
A UNILEVER SITE PERSPECTIVE
FROM R&D IN BEDFORDSHIRE
Wellbeing Plan – Communication &
Culture
EVENTS
FEBRUARY – HEART AWARENESS
Wellbeing Plan - Support
HEALTH FAIR – SHOWCASING
EMPLOYEES’ HOBBIES AND PASTIMES
Wellbeing Plan - Support
VOLUNTEERING
Wellbeing Plan – Building Resilience &
Developing Employee Wellbeing
COLWORTH COMMUNITY CHOIR
Wellbeing Plan – Leadership &
Management
CHOIR FEEDBACK
 It's fulfilling - it uses a different set of muscles to my
work – it’s so good to do something physical and
creative that isn’t sport and on a social level, there is a
real sense of community
 LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Thursdays... even when feeling
jaded from the week it gives me a real lift and I can't
stop smiling all afternoon. Did Gareth realise that he is
a therapist as well as being a fantastic musician and
choirmaster?
 We aim to improve our standard without taking things
too seriously - great mood of positivity that does spill
over into the workplace
QUESTIONS?