Paul Polman on Indian tea investigation BBC

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Fortunately many have joined us to help solve some of the challenges including Oxfam globally.

source: Foodlog.nl

Listen up, Paul Polman is talking. Use google translate to follow the discussion at Foodlog.nl (Dutch). You’re gonna be rewarded!

FIRST response Paul Polman, CEO Unilever

Could not agree more that the ultimate test is to deliver and doing that with transparency. No excuses for some of the challenges we still need to address and indeed there will always be as expectations change. Our full commitment to keep going. We publish our 50 targets and have them independently audited exactly for that reason. The DJSI results just published also require extensive publication. We clearly can not do enough and will strive to continue to set the bar higher in all we do. Thanks for the reminder. Paul Polman CEO UNILEVER

SECOND response Paul Polman, CEO Unilever

It saddens me somewhat that trust is so low that people question even my intervention orif I am real. I am travelling in the Far East and have limited time right now. Reason for English is indeed 45 years outside of holland and spellcheck on my iPad. This seems to be more important than the substance. Disappointing to some extend.

FD today agreed in a phone call that their coverage was unfair but was not prepared to correct. Notice given to us to respond to article was only 24 hours. I support free press , I support activism , I believe in citizens right but somehow we give some people room and spelregels that are different.

The result is that many who realy want to help to make a difference , and I believe there are many good companies willing to lead , increasingly decide to disengage. As father and concerned citizen ,who happens to be CEO from Unilever, this bothers me. Nothing to do with the company.

Once more when we launched the USLP we said we did not have all the answers nor could we do it alone. Fortunately many have joined us to help solve some of the challenges including Oxfam globally. The biggest challenges are not easy and there are trade offs that might or might not be solved over time. Progress to date is indeed thanks to many partnerships. The DowJones Sustainability number one position once more which is based on many facts is a confirmation somewhat. No interest for the paper to report !!! To bad also it also talks improvement areas but in perspective.

Our human rights report we just published openly discusses some dilemma. So does the annual update on USLP. For example not easy to make sustainability mainstream. Our annual report equally points out gaps to close around certified sustainable sourcing. Definitions of fair wages are not well defined globally either or what entails a decent job.

Yes we will find a way to tackle the biggest challenges we have of climate change ( hopefully ) and poverty , but only if we join forces. Talking challenges and areas of improvement is important and I certainly want that for Unilever. We as a company don’t have the right to decide what needs to be done if it effects humanity. That’s why multi stakeholder thinking and cooperation is so important.
What shareholders think is another thing but they are not the only ones either. FD has it fundamentally wrong in this regards by leaning on shareholder primacy and by doing so moves the clock back instead of forward. I am just concerned about that as I have seen it all too often. And indeed this is not about Polman. This is about Polmans children and recently born grandchildren.

I have to hook off. It’s 1 in the morning here. Email is Paul.polman@unilever.com. I do read emails myself , answer them and yes at times participate in discussions. ( in English. Niemand begrijpt Twents) Would love to get Y&R advice although I might not be able to answer all.
Keep the discussion going but more importantly be part of the actions needed and yes hold us accountable as you do others and yes we will make mistakes from time to time for which I ultimately am responsible will apologise and hopefully learn.

Newspapers have a responsibility as well and so do we all.
To rebuild trust lets at least all be human beings and Instill integrity and honesty.

Thanks to you all , as you do care. In the possible case that you still doubt visit U.S. All for a few hour exposure and discussion on what next. It will certainly help us. Promise the meeting will be in Dutch en met beliefs rokettenbroodje.

Paul. CEO UNILEVER ( no idea why it corrects to capitals 🙂 )

enige duiding

Unilever-CEO Paul Polman reageerde gisteren – tot tweemaal toe – persoonlijk in een discussie op Foodlog. Aanleiding tot die discussie was een artikel van het Financieel Dagblad: “Misstanden bij productie Unilever-thee” [PDF]. Een stuk dat vooral wilde treffen in het hart en blijkbaar is dat gelukt. (aanleiding voor het artikel was “The bitter story behind the UK’s national drink“) op BBC.com. Iets waar Unilever zichzelf anders graag over roemt: “Case study: Lipton” op FT.com

Er bestond/bestaat hilariteit rond of Polman nu ja dan niet zelf tussenkwam op Foodlog.

Hoe dan ook, Polman verwijst in bovenstaande reactie (geknipt en geplakt vanuit Foodlog) expliciet naar de samenwerking met Oxfam. Al klinkt toch vooral ontgoocheling en gebrek aan geloof en steun voor zijn project door.

Voor het aanbod van (k)rokettenbroodjes (met karnemelk, wellicht) ga ik passen 😉