AFRICA – British-Dutch transnational consumer goods company, Unilever has been recognized as the number one Top Employer in Africa at the just concluded Top Employer Institute award ceremony held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
According to ThisDay, this is the fourth time the company has been named number one Top Employer in Africa, highlighting its commitment to global human resource and international certification.
The company which is headquartered in London has been certified as the number one Top Employer in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe.
“The Top Employer brand signals to talents that we are committed to staff development and helping our employees reach their personal ambitions.
The certification also provides us with important feedback about how we can improve our HR practices,” said Unilever Vice President of Human Resources in Africa, Mechell Chetty.
Based in Netherlands, the Top Employer Institute selects its criteria based on talent strategy, on-boarding, learning and development, performance management, career and succession management, and leadership development, compensation and benefits, and culture.
It benchmarks companies and certifies excellence in the conditions that employers create to ensure that employees develop themselves fully, both personally and professionally.
Speaking on the achievement, the Human Resources Director, Unilever Ghana-Nigeria, Eniola Onimole noted that the company invests in its people through initiatives that contribute to their organisational success.
“These initiatives include international careers exposure, mentorship programmes, flexible working patterns, graduate recruitment programme and a world class leadership development curriculum.”
According to her, the programme has reached over 80, 000 youths across the continent through personal connects and digital platforms.
“We will not stop there; our ambition is to reach one million youth across the continent. Technology-enabled learning has allowed the company to enhance flexible learning to suit different learning styles-learning on the go, anywhere and anytime,” she explained.
Unilever has since been named the Top Employer on the continent, having also picked up a certification in Côte d’Ivoire and number one slots in Kenya, Nigeria and Ghana, as well as South Africa, three years ago.
This proves that Unilever offers a place where people can thrive as well as perform with purpose.
Unilever has also been a leading light in the corporate sustainability movement. Inspired by the company’s purpose (‘To make Sustainable Living Commonplace’).
