Communities

Our contribution

In 2008 we contributed €91 million to communities (compared to €89 million in 2007), supporting around 16 500 community organisations globally.

Around two-thirds of our giving in 2008 went either to long-term community investment partnerships or to commercial initiatives, with mutual benefits for both our business and our partners. Around a third took the form of charitable donations in response to pressing social needs.

We use the London Benchmarking Group (LBG) international benchmarking model to evaluate our activity.

Employee engagement

We encourage our employees to get involved in community programmes – connecting with consumers while gaining new skills. Nearly one in five employees did so in 2008.

Responding to the troubles in Kenya

Unilever Tea Kenya has grown tea in Kenya since 1924 and is one of the country's biggest and longest-established employers. So it was with great sadness that we learned in January 2008 of the deaths of nine of our employees on the Unilever tea plantation in Kericho, as a result of the violence which followed the presidential elections.

Unilever gave full support to the bereaved families including funeral expenses and transport, and provided food, water and firewood for others affected, while donating $1 million to the World Food Programme’s relief efforts.

Over 4 000 Unilever employees and their families were displaced as a result of the political unrest and many lost some or all of their possessions. We provided direct help to the people on our own plantations with an additional €500 000 donation.