Unilever’s new chief executive has promised that he will look with “fresh eyes” at the decision to retain its Russian business, as the FMCG giant comes under pressure to cease operations in the country.
According to The Telegraph, CEO Hein Schumacher pledged to re-examine its position after receiving a personal plea from a Ukrainian soldier.
While other companies including brands like Coca-Cola and Arla Foods have exited Russia in the wake of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Unilever continues to sell what it describes as “everyday essential food” in the country.
Unilever has promised to keep its operations under “close review”, but insists that keeping its Russian business is the best option as it prevents it from ending up in the hands of the Russian state, either directly or indirectly.
Subscribe to Grocery Gazette for free
Sign up here to get the latest grocery and food news each morning
Valeriia Voshchevska, of the Ukraine Solidarity Project, welcomed Schumacher’s promise to revisit the decision: “It’s refreshing to hear that Unilever’s new chief executive will look at its operations in Russia with fresh eyes.
“It shouldn’t take long to see the damage it’s doing to both the company’s reputation and to the people of Ukraine, through helping to fund Putin’s war machine.”
In July, it emerged that Unilever would allow its 3,000 Russian workforce to be conscripted into the Ukraine war, while more than 7,000 Nestlé employees in the country are also at risk of being called to fight.
It comes as Unilever was named as a sponsor of war by the Ukrainian government after continuing to pay taxes in Russia.
