Dove owner Unilever says it will permit conscription of Russia staff
Russian army new conscripts attend a ceremony outside the Trinity Cathedral before their departure for garrisons in Saint Petersburg on May 23, 2023.
Consumer goods giant Unilever has confirmed it will comply with legislation that could see its employees in Russia conscripted into the war in Ukraine.
In a letter to campaign group B4Ukraine, dated 11 July 2023 and published by the BBC on Sunday, Chief Business Operations and Supply Chain Officer Reginaldo Ecclissato notes the Russian law requiring firms to "permit the conscription of employees should they be called," and says Unilever will "always comply with all the laws of the countries we operate in."
The legislation applies to holders of Russian citizenship.
Unilever confirmed the veracity of the letter to CNBC and declined to provide further comment.
The company's vast range of brands includes Ben & Jerry's, Dove, Knorr, Cif, Domestos, Magnum, Cornetto and Vaseline. It has around 3,000 employees in Russia, working across four manufacturing sites and one head office. Products it sells in Russia include personal care and hygiene items and ice cream.
It has faced criticism for its decision to continue to do business in Russia amid international sanctions and the withdrawal of many companies following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Ecclissato said in the letter that Unilever has faced three options for its Russia operations. One was closing all Russia operations, after which he said Unilever's business and brands in the country would be "appropriated — and then operated — by the Russian state." The second was selling the business, which he said would also likely benefit the state. The third, which Unilever has adopted, was continuing to run the business with constraints that have been in place since March.
"To be clear, none of these options are desirable. Nevertheless, we believe the third remains the best option, both to avoid the risk of our business ending up in the hands of the Russian state, either directly or indirectly, and to help protect our people. We will of course continue to keep this position under close review," he wrote.
Source: CNBC
