Download our Code of Business Principles (PDF 5.39 MB)
Our code and standards.
We believe that the winning businesses of tomorrow will be those which anticipate and respond to the huge changes shaping people’s lives across the world.
We are more certain than ever that it is the right time to focus our sustainability efforts on the four key priorities where we are best placed to drive impact: climate, nature, plastics and livelihoods.
Sustainable growth
We have a long tradition of being a responsible and pioneering business. It goes back to the days of our founders, including William Lever, who launched one of the world’s first purposeful brands, Sunlight Soap, more than 100 years ago. And it is at the heart of how we run our company today.
We strive to do more good for our planet and our society – not just less harm. We want to act on the social and environmental issues facing the world and we want to enhance people’s lives with our innovative, sustainable and high-quality products.
This is how we will grow our business.
Where to play
We will demonstrate that our business model delivers consistent and competitive growth delivering financial results in the top third of our industry.
- We will build a consistently high growth portfolio
- We will win with our brands, powered by unmissable superiority
- We will accelerate growth in key markets and categories
- We will lead in key channels
How to win
In order to unlock our full potential and accelerate business performance, we have set out a Growth Action Plan. It outlines the steps we are taking to deliver faster growth, drive productivity and simplicity, and dial up our performance culture.
Faster growth
Focus first on 30 Power Brands
- Ensure consistent in-market execution and brand support for Power Brands.
- Apply same focused blueprint to other brands in the future.
Drive unmissable brand superiority
- Address all elements of consumer preference.
- Measure six superiority attributes: product, proposition, packaging, place, promotion, pricing.
Scale multi-year innovation
- Prioritise scalable innovations that drive category growth and market development.
- Leverage our strong science and technology platforms.
Increase brand investment and returns
- Focus incremental investment on bigger multi-channel platforms, including digital.
- Ensure increased effectiveness of investment.
Selectively optimise portfolio
- Continued portfolio optimisation.
- No transformational acquisitions in the foreseeable future.
Productivity and simplicity
Build back gross margin
- Shift focus from gross savings to net productivity.
- Step up capital expenditure and apply disciplined approach to restructuring.
Focus sustainability goals
- Four key priorities: climate, nature, plastics and livelihoods.
- Focus on short-term roadmaps.
Drive benefits of the category-focused organisation
- Further simplify operating model.
- Strengthen frontline customer development roles.
Our values
Our values define how we do business – with integrity.
We expect everyone at Unilever to be an ambassador for our high ethical standards. We want to create an environment where employees not only live our values in their own work – integrity, respect, responsibility and pioneering – but are vigilant in identifying potential concerns, and confident about speaking up in such situations.
Business Integrity at Unilever
We expect everyone at Unilever to be an ambassador for our high ethical standards – what we call ‘business integrity’.