Strategic Leadership at Unilever

Unilever’s R&D and leadership

Unilever is committed to supporting sustainability and providing its consumers around the world with the products they need to look good, feel good and get more out of life. Unilever considers its customers very important and provide them with the products they need and take care of their priorities and choices a lot. At the same time the leadership of Unilever plays a very important role in achieving its goals and keeping the employees and business work well. The leadership perspective of Unilever can be seen in the paragraphs presented below. It is because of the effective and strategic leadership of Unilever that people choose to use Unilever.

Innovation has been the backbone of Unilever's brands for well over 100 years.

Distinctive new products

Unilever’s mission – to develop brands that help people look good, feel good and get more out of life – is founded on the expertise of its scientists and technologists who find innovative solutions to current and future consumer needs, and deliver these through Unilever’s portfolio of branded goods.

Company’s track record is second to none, and its philosophy of using leading-edge R&D to drive world-class innovation can be seen at every stage in its history, from the development of vitamin-enriched margarine during the depression of the 1930s to the launch last year of toothpaste containing optical-effect technology which instantly makes teeth appear whiter.

Unique expertise

Unilever has always focused on attracting the very best scientists and technologists to work with us, and today Unilever has an integrated global R&D organization that numbers more than 6,000. In addition, its commitment to open innovation means that Unilever collaborates with many more R&D experts and institutions all over the world.  Each year it spends around €1bn on R&D, and it typically file between 250 and 350 new patent applications annually.

Unilever's R&D expertise is uniquely rich, as it spans the breadth of Foods and Home & Personal Care innovations.  In the years ahead it will continue to draw on this unique expertise to develop big innovations that add vitality to the lives of consumers all around the world whilst continuing its research into the next generation of consumer goods.  The best is yet to come!

Teamwork and leadership

Ambitious plans are turned into reality by groups of like-minded people – people who share a common objective, attitude, outlook & passion.

Ø  Teamwork is everyone's focus

Teamwork is an essential part of life here at Unilever. Not least because its a large business operating in a truly global environment. More often than not, employees work alongside colleagues from a number of different countries and disciplines. Each day, employees build bridges across cultural and intellectual borders.

Every individual is responsible for contributing to the team's efforts. Through working closely together company foster a true sense of collaboration. It stimulates ideas in each other and encourages more innovative thinking. Leaders shares information and challenge accepted wisdom to shape and evolve an exciting future for Unilever’s business.

Ø  Leadership is everyone's responsibility

Leadership can take many different forms. It could be line managing teams in a department or during an assignment. It could mean using your expertise in a key subject area. It could involve thought leadership. Either way, it's about getting things done – individually or through people – in a way that others will admire and follow.

At every level and in every kind of job, leaders are the ones who demonstrate that great results can be achieved by working in different ways to overcome natural boundaries. Often operating outside their comfort zones, these are the people who close the gap between knowing what needs to be done, and achieving it.

E concept and idea of Unilever to consider its employees as an asset and its cooperative and strategic leadership help it enjoy the status of a favorite customer brand all over in the world. It is because of the effective leadership and strategic moves of its leaders that make every employee feel that they are important and innovation is the key for any success in the business. Its hierarchical structure allow the free flow of information, importance of every employee for the business and open communication allow Unilever to attract talented employees and professionals all over in the world.

Sources:

"Our R&D Leadership." Unilever Pakistan. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2013

"Teamwork and Leadership." Unilever Pakistan. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2013