Nov. 26th 2015, CEO Fulvio Guarneri shared Unilever's story at the catalyst4mbas.com's MBA Seminar and I wanted to share with you this story of one organization doing the right thing that echoes on all their business practices and even distributors, galvanizing their relationship with their own people and those that buy their products.
A BETTER WORLD TO LIVE IN
William Lever was the 1st to sell packaged soap, making it affordable for more people. This is an organization that puts people first as they still work to get soap to impoverished places to stop the unnecessary spread of disease.
In Japan they use Solar and wind sustainable energy to run their factories and office. They've set 3 big goals for 2020
- Help 1billion people exit poverty
- Halve their environmental footprint
- Enhance livelihoods
Unilever is striving for 51% female workforce globally to reflect the world we live in. They don't think this is anything heroic but just the way to do business.
As the CEO said himself what we are doing with our products having a real purpose is not just CSR, this is at the very heart of our business.
NOT CONSUMERS BUT PEOPLE
Unilever doesn't sell to consumers but to people and this is reflected in how they sell their products and more.
Dove soap is a product that promotes a different type of beauty and overcome problems of how women perceive themselves to increase women's confidence
The Axe brand is making social impact to guys who don't have confidence, more social confidence.
If you support, for example, Lipton, you support a brand that does not source products that cause deforestation.
I truly felt that this is powerful, not only do I want to replace the soap in my home with Dove but consumers in the digital age that demand more information on their products have a good reason to not only buy but also to stay loyal to a product. That their products have true purpose extends to more than just customers but also radiates throughout the organization.