Unilever Ghana Foundation

A responsible corporate citizen

Unilever Ghana’s commitment to responsible corporate behaviour is fundamental to its operating tradition. We are guided by a corporate purpose and a code of business principles. Our corporate purpose states that: “To succeed requires the highest standards of corporate behaviour towards our employees, consumers and the societies and world in which we live”

Contribution to health

Company has invested substantially in the health needs of Ghanaians. These include - donation of fully equipped air-conditioned ambulances to rural clinics across the length and breath of Ghana in support of government's rural health programme.

• On dental - have provided a complete dental chair to a deprived community and continue to organise nationwide free dental inspection for school children.

• We have instituted awards at the national dental college to honour best graduating dental students

HIV/AIDS

For HIV/AIDS company has made a contribution to the national HIV/AIDS awareness campaign of the Ministry of Health

• At the workplace, the company has an HIV/AIDS programme in place to educate employees and their dependants. Since 2001, the Company has been providing full anti-retroviral treatment and management to employees with HIV and their dependants. Workplace HIV/AIDS peer counsellors play active roles in their communities as well

• Fund raising walks are organized for our employees every December to raise funds for people living with HIV/AIDS in our operating environment.

Education

Commitment to helping build future skills in Ghana

In 1999, company took its social initiatives and commitment to a new level by establishing a Foundation for education and development governed by a Board of Trustees, independent of Unilever Ghana

• Objective was to focus on key areas where it could best support Ghana’s development and build skills for nation’s Human Resource base

• Supported secondary and tertiary education by granting scholarships to students to complete their education at secondary, undergraduate and postgraduate levels

• Established Professorial Chairs at the three premier Universities in Ghana as a contribution towards research and quality teaching at the Universities. The Chairs were for: Chemistry, Business Studies and Teacher Education

• Developing children’s interest in science by establishing an annual Young Scientist Awards. Since the launch of UGF, Ghana has seen the establishment of a lot more educational foundations by traditional rulers, local authorities, corporate bodies and individuals in the common quest to support quality education.

• In support of achieving excellence in Journalism, Unilever has instituted an Award for the Best Journalist of each year to undergo short term Advanced training abroad

Contribution to science

As its contribution towards achieving the necessary scientific and technological interventions needed for Ghana’s development, UGF has awarded research grants for scientific research into Medicine, Food and Crop Science, since health and agriculture are key in Ghana’s development

Enterprise development

The Foundation recognises the potential of vibrant small scale enterprises in the economy. The Foundation has been organising workshops throughout the country to transfer skills and upgrade the basic skills of small scale entrepreneurs. To date over 1220 entrepreneurs have gone through our enterprise training

Support for arts

Appreciation of the arts and culture in the society particularly in children has been given some attention in our CSR plans

• We have pioneered and promoted art and culture on television and through our social mission programmes

• One of our key Brands, is supported a popular weekly TV comedy on national Television

• The Company runs a nation-wide annual art competition for school children on everyday themes to develop children’s appreciation of art and their environment

Our new focus

Our new focus is to support critical need of the country in the areas of 

• women empowerment

• health and nutrition

• hygiene

• water

• environment