In the fast-paced world of business, where success is often measured by profits and market share, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) dares to dream bigger.With a rich legacy of nearly a century, HUL has woven itself into the fabric of Indian households, igniting aspirations and touching lives.On any given day, nine out of ten Indian households use one or more of our brands, giving us a unique opportunity to use our scale and reach to do good for the community and India at large. With an arsenal of nearly 50 brands, such as Lifebuoy, Lux, Dove, Surf Excel, Rin, Vim, Knorr, Kissan, Kwality Wall's, and many more,we are a household name and enjoy strong consumer loyalty. We are known for our great brands, the positive social impact we create, and our belief in doing business the right way.

We have an unwavering belief that equity, diversity, and inclusion are the critical ingredients that make our business soar high!It's not just a box to be ticked off, it is the bedrock upon which our organization thrives. Embracing a vibrant tapestry of consumers from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and viewpoints, HUL celebrates diversity with open arms. Our ambition is to haveteams that reflect the rich tapestry of our consumers, enabling us to understand their unique needs and strengthen our ability to connect and build lasting relationships with them.

Our commitment to diversity goes beyond merely assembling a diverse team. While diverse representation is non-negotiable, we believe representation alone does not create an inclusive organisation. Representation simply means getting a seat at the table, we believe in crafting a culture of deliberate inclusion, where every voice is cherished and heard. We are on a mission to ‘leave no one behind,’ fostering an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to be their authentic selves. This means creating an inclusive culture, free from barriers that limit people from reaching their true potential.

Our vision extends beyond business success; we are committed to leaving an indelible positive impact on the community. At the heart of this vision is our D&I framework crafted to infuse every fibre of the company with an inclusive culture rooted in a profound sense of belongingness. With a resolute vision to become the Employer of Choice for all diverse talent groups, HUL embarked on a transformative mission in December 2021. This transformative journey was crafted to illuminate the path to a truly diverse workplace.  

It begins with laying a solid foundation for understanding and respecting individual talent and uniqueness. As we progress, our policies emerge as a guiding light, transcending stereotypes and paving the way for equitable opportunities and empowerment of a diverse workforce. Our leaders play a pivotal role as they role model inclusion and create an environment where people from all backgrounds can succeed. We aim for everyone to find their rightful place and be celebrated for their unique contributions. We also stand tall, fostering unity and amplifying voices that champion change. Last but not least, the heartbeat of it all is to ensure that we stay relevant and progressive, and continually challenge and propel ourselves in our inclusion journey.

Brilliant Basics

The fundamental and crucial initial actions taken by HUL is to gain a deep understanding of individual dissimilarities among its members. It entails fostering an all-encompassing culture that deeply values and respects diversity in every aspect it presents itself. 

Embarking on a visionary quest in 2011, HUL set its sights on a gender-balanced managerial workforce by 2025. A decade of dedicated efforts has yielded astonishing results, propelling the company's gender balance from 19% to a remarkable 46% at the managerial level. The significant presence of 36% of women in Senior Leadership roles, surpassing industry averages, marks HUL's unwavering commitment to fostering diversity and empowerment.

To celebrate the brilliance and journeys of our top 100 women leaders across South Asia, we have a platform called Womankind. Through empowering conversations, this tribe of leaders is a beacon of gender inclusivity and leadership.

Our Research and Development (R&D) function stands tall as a beacon of gender balance. Acknowledging the underrepresentation of women in R&D and STEM fields, we made strategic systemic investments and witnessed a remarkable leap from 42% representation in 2020 to an inspiring 50% in 2022.

But the pursuit of equity doesn't stop there. We have set an ambitious target for our Sumerpur Factory in Uttar Pradesh, aiming to make it the first gender-balanced factory in South Asia by 2025. Presently, with 258 women comprising 40% of the shop floor workforce, we are steadfast in creating opportunities for women to thrive in traditionally male-dominated domains. 

Another embodiment of this commitment is Project Ahilya. With a community of over 1000 Ahilyas (Female Sales Representatives) in their outer core, we have been able to open doors for women to join frontline sales. We have also enrolled over 1.9 lac women micro-entrepreneurs in villages across India under Project Shakti and equipped them with the basic tenets of distribution, empowering them to sell HUL products in their immediate communities and achieve financial independence. Our Shakti Ammas have become a catalyst for change, creating a ripple effect of empowerment and economic growth in rural India.

Inclusive Policies & Practices

Our policies advocate for the acknowledgement and support of gender diversity while dismantling barriers that hinder progress. It actively promotes equitable opportunities and empowerment for individuals of all genders. 

We have 23 equitable policies to support all our employees. These include but are not limited to a comprehensive career break policy, a flexible leave policy, a parental policy, a disability accommodation policy, a policy to support survivors of domestic abuse, and a policy to support gender transition to name a few. We are even pioneering new models such as UWork and Open2U to provide more flexible employment options and empower people to contribute with their skills with the security of a full-time job.

With regards to infrastructure, we partner with experts to provide best-in-class solutions, be it in terms of workplace accessibility through the principle of universal design or creche facilities for working parents.

In our commitment to creating a bias-free hiring process, we ensure that opportunities are accessible to all, regardless of their background. We aim to create a level playing field where talent and potential are the only determining factors.Our focus is on tapping into diverse talent pools to build a workforce that reflects the vibrant tapestry of society. We also provide ample learning opportunities for our employees to acquire new skills and evolve professionally. Our dedication to nurturing talent has earned us the distinction of being a ‘Leadership Factory’, where leaders are groomed and equipped to lead with integrity and inclusivity.

Leadership Commitment

For us, ED&I is not an HR priority, but a business priority; embedding equity and inclusion into our cultural DNA is an organizational goal rather than just an initiative. Our Code of Business Principles explicitly covers respect, dignity, and fair treatment of all employees, regardless of gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Our ED&I agenda is led by the Management Committees and line leaders, and facilitated by HR, and not the other way round.

We have a strong ED&I council with representation across functions in place with passionate leaders who champion causes and lead different pillars of our agenda. 

Furthermore, all our senior leaders are equipped to have an inclusive approach that empowers all individuals to contribute their unique strengths, through a 12-week learning journey by creating a culture of psychological safety.

Beyond Gender

We continue to work towards inclusivity beyond gender, encompassing various heterogeneous groups. It involves celebrating the distinctive contributions of all individuals, regardless of factors such as their background, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that sets them apart.

We aim to achieve at least a 5% representation of persons with disabilities (PwDs) in our workforce by 2025.Our disabilities inclusion programme has been intricately crafted to create an inclusive ecosystem anchored by four fundamental pillars: Acquisition, Awareness, Accommodation, and Accessibility. We have conducted infrastructure accessibility audits and are working on both physical and virtual accessibility. We have launched an internship program, SAKSHAM with a path to hiring for PwDs. We are leaving no stone unturned and 75% of our factories have already been touched by this endeavour. 

In our commitment to providing a safe environment for our LGBTQ+ employees, we have our employee resource group, ProUd network. While the country's legal system does not currently recognize marriage, adoption, and surrogacy rights for same-sex couples, we have extended spousal benefits to same-sex partners, including medical insurance, parental leave, and travel and relocation benefits. Furthermore, our gender transition policy addresses not just the medical coverage for the surgery, it also outlines the medical support that the individual may need throughout the process and considers the individual's work schedule and any flexibility required during the transition.

Every year, during Pride Month, we illuminate our office with the vibrant colours of the rainbow flag symbolizing unwavering support for the LGBTQ+ community. It serves as a powerful message both internally and externally, reaffirming the company’s commitment to diversity, quality, and respect. 

Voice of Advocacy

We believe that as a leader in the industry, it is our responsibility to champion inclusion, both within the organization and in society at large. We ensure we continue to play a pivotal role in ensuring the seamless integration of inclusion into every facet of the organization. It entails formulating policies, practices, and structures that actively promote and sustain these core values throughout all the operations of the organization.

In 2020, we became the first company in India to launch a formal Domestic Abuse Support policy and through our project #UnMute, we first in the industry to raise our collective voice as an organization to end the silence on domestic violence and encourage people suffering from domestic abuse to speak up.

All Unilever brands have embodied our vision to create an equitable future and actively communicate it through their actions. We launched an initiative called ‘Act 2 Unstereotype’, which sees the entire company broadening its commitment to Unstereotype and challenging ourselves to create marketing, not just advertising and influence the next generation of people to be free from prejudice. We have hadClinic Plus raise its voice against domestic violence through its #MeriBetiStrong advertisements, Red Label’s Swad Apnepan Ka ad to promote a message of allyship for transgender persons, Kwality Wall’s project to enable employment for persons with disabilities, and Dove’s ‘Stop the beauty test’ campaign challenged society’s beauty norms.

We are also committed to spending INR 2,000 crores annually with diverse businesses by 2025. In this endeavour, we have partnered with Genpact to launch ‘Be.Seen’, an accelerator program to support underrepresented and minority-owned companies and strengthen our supply chain.

Additionally, we continue to partner with business networks and organizations such as FICCI, G20 Empower, etc. to exchange and learn ideas and practices to create a more inclusive workplace.

Measurable Accountability

Without compromising on meritocracy, we continue to measure success through representation amongst our new hires, internal promotions, and potential leadership successors. In this journey, we have consistently listened to the valuable voices of our employees, making essential accommodations and changes in our processes and policies, as part of an ongoing journey. 

Additionally, through regular evaluations by external agencies, we hold ourselves accountable for our progress. We’ve been honoured to be recognised for our ‘Leading Practices in D&I’ by PeopleFirst HR Excellence Awards 2023, received ‘Employer of Choice #1’ across sectors by InsideIIM.com in 2022, chosen amongst the ‘Best Organizations for Women’ by Economic Times in 2021 & 2022, and earned the Gold Standard under the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index in 2020

With a rich legacy and a vision for the future, we not only dare to dream bigger but also strive to make those dreams a reality for all, leaving an indelible positive impact on our community and beyond. Our journey has been filled with challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned, and we are grateful for the support and dedication of our employees who have made this transformation possible. Together, we stand united as an organization that aims to create a future where diversity is cherished, barriers are broken, and inclusivity reigns supreme, championing a world where everyone truly belongs.