In a bid to continually foster Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I), Unilever Nigeria, the longest-serving manufacturing company in the country, has reaffirmed its commitment to employees’ wellbeing through a range of progressive policies aimed at supporting the diverse needs of its workforce.
This was made known by the Human Resources Director for Unilever West Africa, Ola Ehinmoro. Speaking on the policies that are anchored on maximising productivity and work-life balance, Ehinmoro emphasised that they were made to meet the aspirations of the company’s employees regarding their diverse needs and priorities.
“The policies embody six core areas that include, Maternal and Paternal Leave, Menstrual Leave, Lactation & Crèche Facilities, Hybrid Working Model, People with Special abilities, and Engagement initiatives. While the policies cover all employees, special attention is given to female gender as part of making the workplace as comfortable as it can be for them.” He said.
Putting into consideration the challenges that come with childbirth, the transition to parenthood and the importance of family, the company offers generous maternity and paternity leave beyond legal requirements as expectant mothers are entitled to 16 weeks of maternity leave, while fathers receive 3 weeks of paternity leave.
Nursing mothers in the company are also provided with onsite crèche and lactation rooms to enable them to care for their babies and children while engaging in impactful work. As part of its flexibility measures to enable emotional, physical, and psychological balance for female employees during their menstrual period, the company allows for a one-day menstrual leave for them to rest and recuperate.
This flexibility also extends to working arrangements for all employees with the hybrid structure that allows for three days on-site and two days’ Work From Home (WFH). The company also provides allowances to support remote work and boasts offices that are equipped with the best digital tools to facilitate seamless collaboration and productivity.
Speaking further, Ehinmoro said that Unilever Nigeria as a company is dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, recognising that its strength lies in the unique backgrounds and skills of its employees which remains committed to being an equal opportunities employer, with a strong emphasis on non-discrimination based on gender, race, colour, or background.
He added, “At Unilever, we continue to make our office environment disability friendly and vigorously provide meaningful jobs for people with disabilities to meet our ambition of ensuring 5% of our workforce are PWDs”.
The company prioritises employee engagement across all spheres of its operations, from health and safety to business performance and sustainability.
It continues to create an environment where employees are encouraged to contribute meaningfully and add value to the organisation and the broader community by leading the way in employee wellbeing and setting a benchmark for excellence in the industry.
About Unilever
Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care, Nutrition and Ice Cream products, with sales in over 190 countries and products used by 3.4 billion people every day. Unilever Nigeria is a locally listed business that has been operating for 100 years selling brands such as Knorr, Vaseline and Closeup. For more information about Unilever and our brands, please visit www.unilever.com.
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