Unilever eschews hyena feeding frenzy to hunt social symbiosis
Despite tweaking its business model to stave off a takeover bid, the company aims to grow its business through investment and uplifting communities, writes Tim Cohen
It’s been five months since Anglo-Dutch personal goods company Unilever, the global poster child of corporate responsibility, had its "near-death experience". It fended off a takeover bid from Kraft Heinz, a company about half its size controlled by a private equity firm considered by some to be the modern-day Barbarians at the Gate. Unilever CEO Paul Polman recently paid a visit to SA, and in an interview, it quickly became apparent that in some ways, the company’s social mission has intensified and broadened. But it has also changed in unexpected ways. The discussion took place in a very Unilever-type context — at a school in Alexandra where the company was holding a function to expand a personal hygiene campaign. Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga attended, as did representatives from Facebook, Vodacom and Unilever. It was a quirky place to discuss the character of global capitalism, but totally in character. Under Polman’s leadership, Unilever has embraced the UN Human Dev...
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