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Unilever sets out plans to help build a more equitable and inclusive society
Unilever’s ambition is to improve living standards for low-paid workers worldwide.
Unilever today announced a wide-ranging set of commitments and actions to help build a more equitable and inclusive society by raising living standards across its value chain, creating opportunities through inclusivity, and preparing people for the future of work.
Unilever’s main commitments include:
- Ensuring that everyone who directly provides goods and services to the company earns at least a living wage or income, by 2030
- Spending €2 billion annually with suppliers owned and managed by people from under-represented groups, by 2025
- Pioneering new employment models for our employees, and equipping 10m young people with essential skills to prepare them for job opportunities, by 2030
Alan Jope, Unilever CEO, explained, “The two biggest threats that the world currently faces are climate change and social inequality. The past year has undoubtedly widened the social divide, and decisive and collective action is needed to build a society that helps to improve livelihoods, embraces diversity, nurtures talent, and offers opportunities for everyone.
“We believe the actions we are committing to will make Unilever a better, stronger business; ready for the huge societal changes we are experiencing today – changes that will only accelerate. Without a healthy society, there cannot be a healthy business.”
Unilever’s ambition is to improve living standards for low-paid workers worldwide. The company will therefore ensure that everyone who directly provides goods and services to them earns at least a living wage or income, by 2030. The company already pays its employees a living wage, and they want to secure the same for more people beyond its workforce, specifically focusing on the most vulnerable workers in manufacturing and agriculture.
In addition to improving living standards through economic inclusion, Unilever is also critical about creating more opportunities for people from under-represented groups – both within and outside of the organisation. Diversity in the workplace directly results in improved financial performance through its capacity to foster innovation, creativity, and empathy.
Speaking further Jope said, “As we help to build a more equitable and inclusive society, we recognise that changes to the world of work will affect the employment prospects of many people. Many current ways of working – roles, places, hours, skills – are rapidly evolving. We have a responsibility to generate and sustain employability, by preparing our employees and other people beyond our organisation for the societal and technological changes that are taking place.”
Beyond its immediate organisation, Unilever plans to help equip 10m young people with essential skills to prepare them for job opportunities, by 2030. “By investing in skills-building and providing work experience opportunities for young people, we will drive growth, and accelerate digital capabilities, building expertise and increasing productivity.” Jope said.
About Unilever
Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Beauty & Personal Care, Home Care, and Foods & Refreshment products with sales in over 190 countries and reaching 2.5 billion consumers a day. It has 150,000 employees and generated sales of €52 billion in 2019. Over half of the company’s footprint is in developing and emerging markets. Unilever has around 400 brands found in homes all over the world, including Dove, Knorr, Dirt Is Good, Rexona, Hellmann’s, Lipton, Wall’s, Lux, Magnum, Axe, Sunsilk and Surf.
Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) underpins the company’s strategy and commits to:
- Helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being by 2020.
- Halving the environmental impact of our products by 2030.
- Enhancing the livelihoods of millions of people by 2020.
The USLP creates value by driving growth and trust, eliminating costs and reducing risks. The company’s sustainable living brands delivered 78% of total growth and 75% of turnover in 2019.
Since 2010 we have been taking action through the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan to help more than a billion people improve their health and well-being, halve our environmental footprint and enhance the livelihoods of millions of people as we grow our business. We have made significant progress and continue to expand our ambition – in 2019 committing to ensure 100% of our plastic packaging is fully reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.
While there is still more to do, we are proud to have been recognised in 2019 as sector leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and in 2020 – for the tenth-consecutive year – as the top-ranked company in the GlobeScan/SustainAbility Sustainability Leaders survey.
For more information about Unilever and its brands, please visit www.unilever.com.
For more information on the USLP: www.unilever.com/sustainable-living/
M36, a new digital platform designed to deliver a wide range of investment products directly to individuals, has launched in Nigeria. Through an innovative, user-friendly app, M36 offers investment options not typically available on self-service digital platforms including foreign currency transactions, commercial papers, local and foreign-denominated bonds, treasury bills and other fixed-income products.
M36 also offers bespoke solutions for both new and experienced investors as well as a 24-hour lifestyle concierge service to meet the needs of discerning customers.
In a rapidly evolving environment with changing consumer behaviour fueled by technology and growing access to information, M36 is looking to expand opportunities for investors at all levels, while also simplifying the process of investing.
M36 was developed by Union Bank as part of its strategic focus on delivering superior customer solutions leveraging technology and innovation. The Bank partnered with several asset management companies to deliver the broad range of investment products on the M36 platform.
Chuka Emerole, Head, Treasury at Union Bank said about M36:
“M36 eliminates the traditional barriers to investing and offers investors direct access to financial instruments that would usually require the service of an investment or relationship manager. We’ve designed M36 to ensure simplicity in the onboarding and investing process while also empowering the customer to make sound investment choices based on their financial objectives. We worked with key partners to deliver both the experience and products on M36 and are confident that we have launched a superior product in today’s marketplace.”
With the 24-hour concierge service, M36 users can access round the clock support from investment advisors as they actively manage their portfolios.
M36 also offers loans, personal travel allowance, will and trust services and many more essential products under its Life Essentials menu.
M36 is available for download on the App store and the Google Play Store. For more information on M36, visit https://m36ng.com/
Note to editors:
M36 is a digital investment platform offering a range of investment opportunities for investors of all levels through a self-service app.
In addition to its robust investment product offering, M36 provides access to investment advisors; life-essential products and services and a 24-hour lifestyle concierge, combining simplicity and functionality to deliver a seamless user experience.
The M36 app is available for download on the App Store and the Google Play Store. For more information on M36, visit https://m36ng.com/
Media Enquiries: Email [email protected]
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Zullum, Buni unveil Hajj Savings in Borno, Yobe
…Jaiz Bank to open branch in Damaturu soon.
The Executive Governors of Borno and Yobe states, Babagana Umara Zullum and Mai Mala Buni have officially unveiled Hajj Savings Scheme in their respective states.
In Maiduguri, Borno state capital, Zullum said his administration will always support programs that have positive economic impact to the public such as Hajj Savings Scheme.
He urged all Muslim ummah to use this opportunity in order to answer the call to Hajj being one of the pillars of Islam, urging all stakeholders to give the scheme the best publicity it deserves.
The governor represented by Commissioner, Religious Affairs, Abacha Umar, said the new scheme is capable of transforming the hajj operations to international standard and best practice.
In Damaturu, Yobe state capital, Wednesday, Mala Buni said his administration will provide all supports needed to ensure the success of the new scheme in the state.
He commended the management of Jaiz Bank for their commitment towards opening the Damaturu Branch in the nearest future which he said will provide alternative solutions to the financial transaction for the people of the state.
He commended the efforts of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and Yobe State Hajj Commission for their tireless effort in making sure that the pilgrims welfare keeps improving year after year.
From Right : Commissioner, Representing North East, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, Abba Jato, Commissioner, Religious Affairs, Yobe State, Mala Musti, Chairman House Committee on Religious Affairs, Yobe State House of Assembly, Yakubu Suleiman and Executive Chairman, Yobe State Hajj Commission, Alhaji Bukar Kime at the sensitisation of Hajj Savings Scheme in Damaturu on Wednesday.
The Managing Director, Jaiz Bank Plc, Hassan Usman explained that with the take-off of the scheme, NAHCON and states pilgrims welfare boards can have the liquid funds required to effectively plan hajj operations early, thereby securing better bargain for accommodation and other services for their pilgrims.
Usman represented by North East Regional Manager, Baba Njidda and Head of Corporate Communications of the bank, Halima Ishaq in Yobe and Borno respectively said the bank is committed to this journey and “we are ready to support it with best-in-class technology infrastructure as well as safe investment management practice.”
The Executive Chairman, Yobe Hajj Commission, Alhaji Bukar Kime said with this type of sensitisation and training by NAHCON and Jaiz Bank the success of the scheme will be achieved in sha Allah.
NAHCON Charman, Barrister Zikilullah Kunle Hassan, represented by the Commissioner in charge of North East, Abba Jato said the introduction of the Scheme is part of the transformation of the hajj operations for efficiency and cost reduction.
