Hellman’s and Dove owner Unilever plc has defended its position to continue operations in Russia just days after admitting it will allow staff to fight if conscripted to do so.
The FTSE 100 consumer goods giant said by staying in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, it chose the “least bad” decision.
Earlier this month, the business was labelled as an “international sponsor of war” by Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention.
Chief executive Hein Schumacher, who replaced Alan Jope in July this year, said in a call with reporters today, cited in the Evening Standard, that two main principles guided the company’s decision on its Russian business.
“We have a continued responsibility vis-a-vis our employees in Russia and... we do not intend to further contribute to the financial capacity of the Russian state,” said Schumacher.
This, he claims, left Unilever with the following options before deciding on the last one: To abandon the Russian business, to sell it, or to “pursue our business in a highly constrained manner”.
Last year, Unilever paid around £33mln in tax to Russia.