About

Unilever - Together For Child Vitality

I am convinced that the only way to tackle an issue as complex as hunger is through driving stronger public-private partnerships and having a laser-like focus on a few geographies where we can have real meaningful and sustainable impact.
Paul Polman, Unilever CEO

Unilever is one of the world's leading consumer goods companies producing foods, home and personal care brands. In 2012, Unilever launched a new foundation with the goal to improve the quality of life through the provision of hygiene, sanitation, access to clean drinking water and basic nutrition. WFP is one of five leading global organisations tackling these ambitious goals in collaboration with Unilever.

Historically, Unilever and WFP have worked together since 2007 in numerous countries and together have provided assistance to millions of beneficiaries across the globe. Together we have engaged in signature partnerships such as ‘Together for Child Vitality’ and ‘Project Laser Beam’; and furthermore, during emergencies Unilever never fail to step up and set an example, providing cash for WFP’s operations corporate cash, as well as mobilizing thousands of employees and consumers around the world to become involved in WFP’s work.

Globally, Unilever continues to support WFP with fundraising drives through consumer-facing campaigns around cause-related marketing campaigns on their products and also through top European supermarkets. 

 

Partner Profile

Industry: Foods, home care, and personal hygene products.

Support areas: School meals and nutrition support.

Geographical focus: The first countries to benefit in 2007 were Kenya, Indonesia, Ghana and Colombia; followed by Pakistan and the Philippines in 2008 and Sri Lanka in 2009. Unilever has carried out consumer-facing fundraising and awareness activities for WFP using their brands (cause-related marketing) in their 13 countries as well as fundraising with employees at around 50 offices all over the world.

Partnership Impact:

Developed education campaigns to teach school children better hygiene and nutrition habits.

Identify unmet nutritional needs of school children and explore strategies to fill in these needs.

Implemented creative cause-related marketing campaigns on their consumer products, Unilever also reaches out to their consumer base to make heard the voice of the hungry.

Strengthened WFP capacity in HQ and country offices through expert secondments and student internships.

Motivated employees to engage in fundraising and awareness raising initiatives like Walk the World for WFP's school meals programmes around the world.

Partnerships Achievements:

UK CorpComms 2009 –   Winner – Together for Child Vitality's global communications strategy won the award for Best Employee Communications.

Colombia - Colombia's education campaign 'El Arte de Alimentarte' awarded with an honour for Best Corporate Responsiblity Programme from the Columbian British Chamber of Commerce.

Greece - Corporate Social Responsiblity accolade by the Greek Federation of Advertisers in recognition of the difference the programme is making to children in developing countries.