ABOUT UNILEVER
About Unilever
Creating a better future every day
Unilever is one of the world’s leading
suppliers of fast-moving consumer
goods. We aim to provide people the
world over with products that are
good for them and good for others.
Our vision
● We work to create a better future
every day.
● We help people feel good, look
good and get more out of life
with brands and services that are
good for them and good for
others.
● We will inspire people to take small
everyday actions that can add up
to a big difference for the world.
● We will develop new ways of
doing business that will allow us to
double the size of our company
while reducing our environmental
impact.
Fast facts - 2009
163,000
employees
at the end of
the year
20 nationalities
among our top tier
managers
€89 million
invested in
community
programmes
worldwide
€891 million invested
in R&D worldwide
More than 170
countries in which
our products are
sold
264 manufacturing
sites worldwide
Our people
People are the heart
of our business.
● We aim to create an environment
in which all employees can fulfil
their potential.
● Unilever is one of the world’s most
culturally diverse companies. Our
Board is made up of six
nationalities and the nine members
of the Unilever Executive come
from six different countries.
Performance
Scale and geographic reach
The Americas
€13 billion turnover
4.2% underlying sales
growth
32.3% of group turnover
Western Europe
€12 billion turnover
-1.9% underlying sales
growth
30.3% of group turnover
2009 turnover €39.8 billion
AAC
€15 billion turnover
7.7% underlying sales
growth
37.4% of group turnover
Operational achievements in 2009
● Good broad-based underlying sales
growth of 3.5%
● Underlying volume growth of
2.3% – accelerating through the
year
Sales growth 3.5%
● Increased investment behind our
brands
● Return to strategic acquisitions
including TIGI and Baltimor
● Named International Supplier of
the Year by Tesco for the fourth
year running
Volume growth 2.3%
Category highlights in 2009
Savoury, dressings and spreads
Personal care
● Turnover of €13,256 million
● Turnover of €11,846 million
● Underlying sales growth of -0.1%
● Underlying sales growth of 5.3%
Ice cream and beverages
Homecare & other
● Turnover of €7,753 million
● Turnover of €6,968 million
● Underlying sales growth of 4.0%
● Underlying sales growth of 7.1%
Unilever financial performance
* Restructuring, disposals and one-off items
** Continuing operations
* Continuing operations
Strategic Focus
Our corporate purpose
Our deep roots in local cultures and markets around the world give us our strong
relationship with consumers and are the foundation for our future growth. We
will bring our wealth of knowledge and international expertise to the service
of local consumers – a truly multi-local multinational.
Our long-term success requires a total commitment to exceptional standards of
performance and productivity, to working together effectively, and to a
willingness to embrace new ideas and learn continuously.
To succeed also requires, we believe, the highest standards of corporate behaviour
towards everyone we work with, the communities we touch, and the
environment on which we have an impact.
This is our road to sustainable, profitable growth, creating long-term value for
our shareholders, our people, and our business partners.
Unilever’s growth priorities
Our ambition is to win share and
grow volume in every category
and country.
Winning with brands and
innovation
● Deliver superior products, design,
branding and marketing
● Bigger, better, faster innovations
● Appeal to more consumers across
needs and price points
Winning in the marketplace
● Lead market development
● Win with winning customers
● Be an execution powerhouse
Winning with people
● Organisation and diverse talent
pipeline ready to match our growth
ambitions
● Performance culture which respects
our values
● Leverage our operating framework
for competitive advantage
Winning through continuous
improvement
● Lean, responsive and consumer-led
value chain
● Drive return on brand support
● Agile, cost-competitive organisation
Local roots with global scale
LOCAL ROOTS
Our deep roots and early
engagement in D&E markets
give us invaluable consumer
insight:
● Understanding of the local
consumer
● Brands and products across a
wide range of income levels
● Critical mass on the ground
● Corporate reputation with local
stakeholders and talent pool
GLOBAL SCALE
Leveraging our scale brings us
advantages over local
competition:
● Global portfolio of brands and
categories
● Dedicated R&D investment
● Shared values and standards
of behaviour
The D&E opportunity
Of the 6.8 billion people in the world today, 5.9
billion live in developing and emerging markets –
countries such as Brazil, India and Indonesia
where Unilever has deep roots and a wide
presence. We already reach many more
consumers than our competitors in these
markets.
% 2004
Sales
Other
developed
3%
North
America
23%
Western
Europe
38%
Other
developed
4%
D&E
36%
% 2009
Sales
North
America
16%
Western
Europe
30%
D&E
50%
Categories,
Brands and Regions
Strong category positions
Unilever’s portfolio
of categories
Leading category
positions
Homecare
Personal Care
Savoury,
Dressings
& Spreads
Ice Cream &
Beverages
Big global brands
Top 25 brands =
almost 75% of Unilever’s
sales*.
* As at end 2009
Regions and categories
Clear, distinct,
complementary roles.
Categories
Regions
Deliver global platforms
Execute on the ground
Responsible for:
Responsible for:
● Brand development
● Managing the business
● Innovation
● Deploying brands and
innovations
● Research and development
Accountable for:
● Customer management
Accountable for:
● Medium/long-term market
share
● Short-term market shares
● Brand health
● Growth
● Innovation metrics
● Profit
● Category value creation
● Cash flows
Foodsolutions
Unilever Foodsolutions is one of the world’s leading foodservice businesses.
● Works closely with customers, including caterers, restaurateurs and major hotel
and fast-food chains, to create food solutions that help grow their business.
● Operates in 68 countries worldwide, employing 4,700 people, including 230
chefs.
● Holds leading positions in bouillons/bases, seasonings, sauces,
soups, dressings, tea and desserts.
● Unrivalled combination of:
− Consumer insight
− Customer understanding
− Chefmanship® – culinary passion and expertise
− Well-known brands.
The Supply Chain
Raw materials and ingredients
€15.3 billion spent on raw materials
and packaging from over
10,000 suppliers in 2009.
Our share of world volume:
Preliminary data pending audit.
Manufacturing
264 manufacturing sites.
Continuous improvement in
eco-efficiency in factories
(1995–2009):
● 41% reduction in CO2 from
energy
● 65% reduction in water use
● 73% reduction in total waste
Preliminary data pending audit.
Distribution and retailing
Around one-fifth of Unilever’s
sales are through ten major
retail chains.
Our products are sold in over
10 million small shops in
developing and emerging markets.
50% of sales from developing and
emerging markets.
Customer partnerships
Unilever manages a number of
partnerships globally.
Consumers
2 billion consumers use a Unilever
product on any day.
Top 13 brands with combined sales
of €23 billion in 2009.
€5.3 billion invested in advertising
and promotion.
€891 million invested in R&D.
Innovation
Innovation driving growth 1
Unilever is a world leader in
research and development
(R&D).
● €891 million invested in R&D in
2009
● At least 250 new patent
applications filed each year
● A portfolio of more than 20,000
patents and patent applications
Innovation driving growth 2
Competitive advantage
through an integrated R&D
programme.
● More than 6,000 R&D
professionals
● 6 strategic R&D laboratories
delivering groundbreaking
technologies
● 31 major development centres
developing and implementing
product innovations
● 92 locations around the globe
with R&D teams implementing
innovations in countries and
factories
Innovation driving growth 3
Focused efforts that swiftly
bring bigger innovations to
market.
Knorr Stock Pot
Small & Mighty
Dove Body Wash
revolutionises bouillon
with a format that
provides a more
authentic bouillon.
is the industry’s first
super-concentrated
liquid detergent, using
one-third of the
packaging, one-third of
the water and one-third
of the transport of
dilute liquids.
Uses proprietary
NutriumMoisture
technology, earning its
scientifically-proven
claim to provide
‘effective natural
nourishment’.
Social and Environment
Social
Helping society through
our products and
programmes.
• 133 million people reached by Lifebuoy
handwashing programmes since 2002
• 15 million people in 3 million
households in India provided with safe
drinking water through Pureit
• 44% of our products in line with
internationally accepted guidelines for
saturated and trans fats, sugar and salt
• Nearly 17 million school meals
delivered to 80,000 children in 2009
through our partnership with the World
Food Programme
• 45,000 women entrepreneurs reach 3
million consumers in 100,000 Indian
villages selling Unilever products door
to door
Environmental
Eleven years as sector leader of
the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes.
Our goal is to double the size of the business whilst
at the same time reducing our environmental
footprint. This encompasses the whole value chain –
from the sourcing of raw materials through to
consumer use and disposal of our products.
•
We are committed to sourcing all palm
oil from certified sustainable sources by
2015
•
15% of the tea we use globally is
sourced from Rainforest Alliance
CertifiedTM farms
•
Over the period 1995–2009 we have
achieved reductions of:
•
•
•
41% in CO2 emissions*
73% in total waste*
65% in water usage*
* Measured by tonne per production. Preliminary data pending audit.
Working with others
Working in partnership is crucial in
developing and delivering some of
our major sustainability
commitments.
Our principal global partnerships are with:
UN World Food
Programme: to feed
hungry children and
improve their nutrition
FDI World Dental
Federation: to improve
oral health
World Heart Federation:
to promote heart health
Global Public-Private
Partnership for
Handwashing with soap:
to promote good
hygiene practice
Global Alliance for
Improved Nutrition: to
co-create new
approaches in food
fortification to address
malnutrition
UN Global Compact: to
align business operations
and strategies in the
areas of human rights,
labour, environment and
anti-corruption
Structure
Legal structure and governance
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)
● Two separate legal parent companies
have been maintained:
o Unilever NV (Netherlands) and
Unilever PLC (UK).
● This works through an equalisation
agreement and other contracts between
the two companies.
Lever Brothers
(UK)
A global management team
Keith Weed
Doug
Baillie
Chief Marketing
and
Communications
Officer
President
Western
Europe
Michael Polk
Pier Luigi
Sigismondi
President
Global Foods,
Home &
Personal Care
Chief Supply
Chain Officer
Geneviève
Berger
Dave Lewis
President
Americas
Paul Polman
Chief R&D
Officer
Chief Executive
Officer
Jean-Marc
Huët
Chief
Financial
Officer
Harish
Manwani
Sandy
Ogg
President
Asia, Africa
and Central
& Eastern
Europe
Chief HR
Officer
Board of Directors
Chairman
Michael
Treschow
Executive
Directors
Paul Polman
Chief
Executive
Officer
Jean-Marc
Huët
Chief Financial
Officer
Non-Executive
Directors
The Rt Hon
The Lord Brittan of
Spennithorne QC, DL
Wim Dik
Louise
Fresco
Ann Fudge
Charles
Golden
Narayana
Murthy
Hixonia
Nyasulu
Kees Storm
Jeroen van
der Veer
Paul Walsh
Byron Grote