Unilever has been certified as the Top Employer in Africa for the third time in a row. For a company such as Unilever to achieve business success, it is important that its leadership create an environment where employees feel valued, where their creative ideas can germinate and contribute towards the company’s overall achievements.
Unilever’s Top Employer status in Africa was solidified when company was certified in Zimbabwe for the first time and achieved No.1 status in Ghana, Nigeria and Kenya. The organisation also added the No. 1 FMCG in South Africa and No. 1 Manufacturing in South Africa certifications to their belt.
“At Unilever we work hard to combine our global experience with our deep Africa roots to develop local talent so we are delighted to see our efforts recognized by the internationally renowned Top Employers as a truly independent and verifiable measure of industry best practice in HR,” says Mechell Chetty, Unilever Vice President: Human Resources.
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The annual international research and audit undertaken by the Top Employers Institute recognises leading employers around the world that provide excellent employee conditions, nurture and develop talent throughout all levels of the organisation, and which strive to continuously optimise employment practices.
“Unilever was honoured by the Top Employer research for exceptional employee offerings and as an organisation which puts its people first and is dedicated to their personal and professional development. I would encourage more companies to participate and raise the bar on employment practices across the continent,” said Chetty.
Samantha Crous, Regional Director Africa for the Top Employers Institute says, “Our extensive research concluded that Unilever Africa forms part of a select group of employers that advance employee conditions worldwide. Their people are well taken care of. Now that they have received the Top Employers Africa 2016/17 certification, they can truly consider themselves at the top of an exclusive group of the world’s best employers – a remarkable feat to celebrate!”
According to Chetty, Unilever’s secret to success is the fact that the company consistently aims to empower its employees to be able to make a direct impact on the business. “If you want to be part of a team driving innovation, change and growth at one of the most dynamic and exciting periods in African business then Unilever is the place to be. This award provides external verification to those looking to join Unilever that we put our people at the heart of our business and their development and contribution will be second to none on the continent of Africa,” says Chetty.
“One of the macro trends that we see across the world is the move towards mass customisation, where you provide tailored experiences for individuals at a large scale. At Unilever, we are continuously exploring how we can apply this to our employment experience.”
“Our employees are given significant scope for creativity in their role and we aim to create a culture where our employees can have the freedom to act with speed and deliver on their objectives,” explains Chetty. “We also encourage innovation across the workforce, with different attitudes towards authority by developing strong line managers who are equipped to deal with the challenges of a multi-generational and multi-cultural workforce. These are just some of the practices which help to make our organization ever more agile, resilient and responsive to the unpredictable external environment.”
Potential Top Employers undergo a rigorous certification process as they are evaluated across nine key areas: Talent Strategy, Workforce Planning, On-boarding, Learning & Development, Performance Management, Leadership Development, Career & Succession Management, Compensation & Benefits, and Culture.
“I believe that this achievement reinforces that we are on the right track. We are extremely proud that this independent research has once again verified our outstanding employee conditions and earned Unilever Africa a coveted spot among a choice group of certified Top Employers,” she concludes.
