HINDUSTAN UNILEVER

Introduction

Headquartered in Mumbai, India, Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is an Indian consumer goods company. Unilever is a British company, Hindustan Unilever is its subsidiary. It produces personal care products, food products, beverages, cleaning agents, water purifiers, and other fast-moving consumer goods. 

HUL’s portfolio had 35 product brands in 20 categories, as of 2019. Its total revenue is Rs. 40,415 crore or UD $5.7 billion. In December 2018, HUL acquired GlaxoKlinesmith’s India business for $3.8 billion with a 1:4.39. Later after all the legal procedures, HUL completed its merger with GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSKCH).

Headquarters

The corporate headquarters of Hindustan Unilever are in Andheri, Mumbai. The company has availed several facilities for its employees which include a food court, a gym, a convenience store, a sports center, and a daycare center. The campus area is planned and designed by Kapadia Associates, a Mumbai-based architecture firm. The campus has received certification from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). For more than 46 years, its headquarters have been in Backbay Reclamation, Mumbai.

Research centre

HUL also has a research center (HULRC) which was set up in Mumbai in 1966 and Bangalore in 1997.

On 15 November 2010, Unilever launched a Sustainable Living Plan in London, New York, Rotterdam, and New Delhi simultaneously.

Brands and products

It has 20 consumer categories such as tea, soap, shampoo, and is one of the leading companies today in the market. Some of HUL’s brands are listed down below.

Food: Bru coffee, Brooke Bond tea(Taaza, Taj Mahal, Red Label), Kissan ketchup, juices jams, Magnum ice cream, Horlicks, etc.

Homecare: Active wheel detergent, Comfort fabric softeners, Vim dishwash, Rin detergents and bleach, Surf excel detergent and gentle wash, etc.

Personal care: Glow and lovely cream, Dove skin cleansing, and hair care range, Sunsilk shampoo, Close up toothpaste, Lux soap, body wash, deodorant, etc.

Water purifier: Pure it

Awards and achievements

• Porter prize by Institute of competitiveness, 2014
• Dun & Bradstreet Corporate award, 2014
• The Client of the year award, 2013-14

•       One of the Brand equity list of 100 most trusted brands carried out a supplement of the Economic Times, Brand equity.

• The Conscious capitalist of the year at Forbes, 2013
• 2nd in 50 most desired companies list, India
• Spikes Asia Awards, 2012
• Forbes’ One of the most reputed companies, 2007
• Silver award at 13th ECR (Efficient Consumer Response) Asia pacific Conference, 2012.

Controversies

It had been in several controversies; its fairness cream, for instance. The face cream called ‘Fair & Lovely’ got into trouble recently due to promoting white beauty and insulting the brown color, so much so, that it had to change its name to ‘Glow & Lovely’. Priyanka Chopra, a darker skin toned actress was seen in a mini TV commercial alongside Neha Dhupia, who has a fairer complexion. This was very criticized for perpetuated racism and lowering the self-esteem of girls who were more on the darker side of the tone.

Also, in one of its other ads for the Brooke Bond Red label tea, they gave a negative perspective of Kumbh Mela, which wasn’t acceptable by many people. Unilever had to then face the public backlash against the same. It also resulted in a hashtag trending on Twitter, #boycotthindustanunilever.