Saturday Read: Investors are fleeing Myanmar as coup grows more deadly March 6, 2021 The world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, the Norwegian central bank, has put Japanese Kirin Holdings on a watch list for possible exclusion due to its ties to Myanmar’s military, in light of the recent coup and ongoing unrest in the country. The Japanese beverage group Kirin has a partnership and $1.7bn controlling stake in Myanmar [...]
Unilever restores confidence as sales jump 3.5 per cent February 4, 2021 Consumer goods giant Unilever today reported underlying sales growth for the fourth quarter, buoyed by strong demand in emerging markets. Sales rose 3.5 per cent for the owner of Persil, Dove and Marmite, meeting analyst predictions. For the full year, sales grew by 1.9 per cent but turnover and underlying profit dropped 2.4 per cent [...]
Unilever to ensure suppliers pay living wage by 2030 in new social change drive January 21, 2021 Unilever this morning set out plans to ensure all workers in its supply chain are paid a living wage by 2030 as part of a new wide-ranging social mobility agenda spurred on by the pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement. The consumer goods giant said its ambition is “to improve living standards for low-paid [...]
Volatility was the name of the game in 2020: What were the most popular sectors, funds and shares? January 4, 2021 Volatility was the name of the game in 2020 as the pandemic wreaked havoc across the globe. The spread of Covid-19 was a shock to the financial system, stock markets plunged and companies battened up the hatches. Despite the vaccine breakthroughs markets are still deep in a tunnel of uncertainty about when the global economy [...]
Unilever to put climate plan to shareholder vote December 14, 2020 Unilever will put its climate action transition plan to a shareholder vote, the consumer goods giant announced today, the first global firm to take such a step. The company has set a number of ambitious targets for reducing its emissions over the next two decades, including a commitment to be net zero from sourcing to [...]
Unilever to trial four-day working week in New Zealand November 30, 2020 Supporters of a four-day working week were given a major boost today as Unilever said it will trial the system in its New Zealand operations. The consumer goods giant said its 81 employees in New Zealand will retain their full pay while working just 80 per cent of normal hours. The trial will run until [...]
End of an era: Unilever trading in Amsterdam for the last time today November 27, 2020 Unilever’s Dutch shares will trade in Amsterdam for the last time today, before a unification of the group’s dual-headed structure that aims to put the consumer goods maker on a better footing to cope with an uncertain future. The merger over the weekend of Unilever’s Dutch and British corporate arms into one legal entity based [...]
Unilever shareholders support London-base move October 13, 2020 Unilever’s shareholders have approved the multinational’s plan to end its 90-year-old dual-headed structure in favor of a single London-based entity. The proposal passed with the support of more than 99% of shares voted. The results were released during shareholder meetings streamed online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Investors in Dutch-listed Unilever NV approved the move with 99.4% [...]
Exclusive: Unilever’s Kingston campus plans unveiled October 2, 2020 Plans have been unveiled for a new Unilever headquarters in Kingston-upon-Thames, which will consolidate the conglomerate’s offices across London and Surrey. The developer, Cube Real Estate, has submitted a planning application for a mixed-use redevelopment, including two office buildings, a car park for electric vehicles and new homes. If the scheme is given the green [...]
Unilever to remove all fossil fuels from cleaning products by 2030 September 2, 2020 Consumer goods giant Unilever has today announced that it will remove all fossil fuels from its cleaning products by 2030 as part of a €1bn global investment programme. The Anglo-Dutch firm, which has seen demand for its products jump in recent months due to heightened health concerns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, said it [...]