Equity, diversity and inclusion
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are essential components of a vibrant and thriving workplace. At HUL, we are embedding DEI principles into every aspect of our business operations and corporate culture, transforming them into actionable commitments.
What we aim to achieve
We are leveraging our scale and reach to drive inclusion across our workplaces, brands, supply chain, and communities. We also invest in our employees who in turn help build a culture of inclusion in our organisation. Our DEI objectives align with global sustainable development and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Our D&I Framework #BELONG
We believe in crafting a culture of deliberate inclusion, where every voice is cherished and heard. This means creating an inclusive environment, free from barriers that limit people from reaching their true potential.
At the heart of this vision is our D&I framework, #BELONG, crafted to infuse every fibre of the company with an inclusive culture that is rooted in a sense of belongingness.
We prioritise increasing the representation of diverse groups in our advertising, ensuring our messaging resonates with a broad range of audiences. Through these initiatives, we are actively working towards a more inclusive and equitable future.
We continue to work towards inclusivity beyond gender. This involves celebrating the distinctive contributions of all individuals, regardless of factors such as their background, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic.
Inclusion of PwDs
Our disabilities inclusion programme has been 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.
100 PwDs in our workforce as of 2023
Our sites in Dapada, Amli, Haridwar and R&D Centres in Mumbai and Bangalore have been certified for accessibility. Over the last two years, over 100 managers have undergone a PwDs (Persons with Disabilities) sensitisation workshop.
Our internship program, SAKSHAM, offers PwDs a path to hiring. We have hired interns across R&D, IT, Marketing, Supply Chain, HR, Legal, and Finance.
A peek into DEI at our factory in Kolkata, West Bengal
United with PRIDE
In our commitment to providing a safe environment for our LGBTQ+ employees, we have undertaken multiple measures such as gender-neutral washrooms, spousal benefits to same-sex partners, and a gender affirmation policy. We also have an LGBTQ+ and allies employee resource group, ProUd, to create awareness around LGBTQ+ issues and create a supportive environment.
Striving for gender balance
42%representation of women at the managerial level (HUL including subsidiaries)
Our journey toward achieving an equitable and inclusive culture has been marked by significant milestones. We have successfully reached a 42% representation of women at the managerial level and are dedicated to further strengthening this.
The World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report 2023 estimates a wait time of around 131 years to close the gender gap. By hiring top female talent across various work levels in our business and providing career development and mentorship opportunities we aim to help expedite the gap. Our initiatives include agile working arrangements, parental support, and return-to-work support through facilities like crèches, daycares and lactation rooms. Our inclusive approach also extends flexible working options, formal career breaks, and parental support to employees of all genders and sexual orientations.
More on DEI in our ecosystem and broader societal impact
Promoting women in STEM (1 of 6)
HUL's Women in STEM Fellowship is an initiative established to promote greater female representation in STEM education and careers in India. This fellowship supports top female scholars from leading Indian institutes, enabling them to pursue advanced studies in STEM fields.
The inaugural edition of the fellowship was announced on November 27, 2023, in partnership with the Indian Institute of Science. Selected HUL Fellows received an award and a financial scholarship for five years, benchmarked against the prestigious Prime Minister's Research Fellowship (PMRF).
Beyond financial support, these Fellows will benefit from access to senior mentors both from Unilever and our external ecosystem, addressing the lack of role models and mentorship often encountered by women in higher STEM education. This comprehensive support is designed to empower the next generation of women leaders in STEM.
Prioritising safety (2 of 6)
At HUL, we are committed to making safety a top priority for women everywhere—whether it's in the workplace, public spaces, or the rural communities in which we operate. Through dedicated efforts to combat sexual harassment and gender-based violence, we strive to ensure that women feel secure and supported.
Global Women's Safety Framework in Rural Spaces
This groundbreaking framework developed in collaboration with UN Women focuses on enhancing the safety of women working in agriculture and tea supply chains across India, offering support where it's needed most.
Our Women's Safety Accelerator Fund (WSAF) has been a game-changer in the Indian tea industry, aiming to create a future where women and girls can thrive free from harassment and violence. Formed in 2020 through a partnership between Unilever and IDH, the WSAF advocates for the prevention of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in India’s tea sector by building stronger response mechanisms in tea garden communities. Through training and skill-building, we've positively impacted over 200,000 tea garden workers, mainly women, across 322 tea estates in Assam, West Bengal,Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The programme ensures long-term sustainability through multi-stakeholder engagement at local and state levels.
Progressive policies (3 of 6)
With 20+ equitable policies addressing various aspects of an individual’s life, we ensure everyone feels supported. For instance, we introduced a foster/kinship caregiver policy, enhanced our secondary caregiver leave, and expanded our daycare tie-ups. In fact, all our parental policies – be it birth, adoptive, or surrogate - are gender-neutral, and same-sex partners are included wherever applicable. These initiatives reflect our dedication to providing essential support, enabling our employees to thrive both professionally and personally.
We’ve led the way by introducing India's first comprehensive, gender-neutral policy for survivors of domestic and other abuse. This policy offers survivors access to counselling, paid leave, flexible work options, and more, ensuring they receive the support they need during challenging times.
Our Unmute campaign raised awareness about safety at home, work, and public spaces. By encouraging self-disclosure and offering reasonable accommodation for employee support, we continue to empower individuals to speak up and seek help.
Emphasis on skilling (4 of 6)
Our Glow and Lovely Careers program provides career guidance, skill-based courses and information on job opportunities to women, empowering them to establish their own identity and pursue career opportunities. With over 1.9 million registered users, the platform has facilitated over 5,00,000 course enrolments and supported over 4,30,000 users.
The program tackles various challenges faced by Indian women, such as limited access to transportation, lack of parental permission, high course costs, and a shortage of quality local institutes.
The website collaborates with prominent ed-tech companies like edX, English Edge, and Hello English, as well as start-ups such as Testbook.com and iDreamCareer.com. Additionally, it offers internship opportunities through its online training partner, Internshala. It also partnered with TimesJobs, a top job provider in India, to help women get access to job opportunities across various fields. These partnerships enable users to access skill-based courses and valuable work experience to advance their careers.
Developing a cadre of women micro-entrepreneurs (5 of 6)
Project Shakti expands opportunities for women in rural India by empowering them to become micro-entrepreneurs thus creating income opportunities. This initiative embodies HUL's philosophy of ‘Doing Well by Doing Good’ and focuses on financially empowering women. Project Shakti had empowered over 2,00,000 Shakti Ammas across 22 states, till date.
Our rural sales promoters (RSPs) guide and support Shakti Entrepreneurs in managing their businesses, providing them with valuable coaching. The ‘Shakti Ammas’ not only benefit from Project Shakti financially, but they also see an elevation in their social status within their families and communities.
We upskill Shakti Ammas in various social and digital areas to keep them future-ready, including through our self-ordering retailer app, Shikhar, which is now used by more than 50% of Shakti Ammas.
Moreover, Shakti Ammas act as agents of social change by influencing practices related to nutrition, waste recycling, and hygiene. They receive dedicated training on health and nutrition, enabling them to make a positive impact in their communities. The initiative has achieved substantial progress reaching over 8 lakh households.
Focussing on holistic community development (6 of 6)
Since its launch in 2013, Project Prabhat has empowered nearly 10 million people across 21 states and two union territories. This initiative focuses on economic empowerment, environmental sustainability, and health and nutrition, addressing local community needs in line with India’s development agenda and the UN SDGs.
Through Prabhat’s efforts, nearly 1,30,000 people have received skill development and training, while more than 75,000 people have secured employment.
Prabhat's goal is to foster sustainable communities around HUL sites through targeted interventions focusing on improving the quality of life for the communities. The programme’s 18 livelihood centres train women and youth in vocational skills and entrepreneurship development, preparing them for the future. The program promotes inclusivity by engaging persons with disabilities, transgenders, and other vulnerable groups to create equal opportunities for everyone while helping individuals reach their full potential.
Project Prabhat continues to drive positive change and support community growth across the country.