Nearly half of Unilever employees and approximately 42 percent of managers and executives are women – and the company recently won the Corporate Empowerment for Women Award, presented by Cosmetic Executive Women (CEW).

Gina Boswell, Unilever’s EVP of Personal Care, and Ashley Boyce, Global Associate Brand Development Manager, Hair, accepted the Award on behalf of the company during the CEW’s annual Achiever Awards Luncheon.

“We take pride in creating an environment where all employees can feel empowered to grow and succeed, both in their personal and professional lives.”
Unilever was recognized for its initiatives in three key areas: professional development, work/life flexibility, and the development of future leaders.

“Unilever is honored to receive this award as a testament to our commitment to workplace diversity and nurturing female talent within our organization,” said Kees Kruythoff, president of Unilever North America. “We take pride in putting women at the forefront, through programs that empower women as current and future leaders, as well as understanding and connecting with female consumers.”

Unilever focuses on nurturing female talent through its diversity program, which includes leadership immersion programs, mentoring, and flexible working.

The company’s agile working program, for example, allows employees to work flexibly – anytime and anywhere – as long as the needs of the business are met. Forty-eight percent of employees flex their hours or telecommute, and 73 percent of employees compressing their work week.

Unilever’s Dove Movement for Self Esteem initiative focuses on beauty as a source of confidence for all girls and women.

Unilever also leverages diversity to create a dynamic, open and innovative workplace environment.

“Having a diverse workforce is a critical element of our long-term strategy for sustainable growth, and is reflective of our consumer base,” said Sumeet Salwan, SVP HR, Unilever North America. “We take pride in creating an environment where all employees can feel empowered to grow and succeed, both in their personal and professional lives.”