Dove owner Unilever says it will permit conscription of its Russia employees

Consumer goods elephantine Unilever has confirmed it volition comply with authorities that could spot its employees successful Russia conscripted into the warfare successful Ukraine.

In a letter to run radical B4Ukraine, dated 11 July 2023 and published by the BBC connected Sunday, Chief Business Operations and Supply Chain Officer Reginaldo Ecclissato notes the Russian instrumentality requiring firms to "permit the conscription of employees should they beryllium called," and says Unilever volition "always comply with each the laws of the countries we run in."

The authorities applies to holders of Russian citizenship.

Unilever confirmed the veracity of the missive to CNBC and declined to supply further comment.

The company's immense scope of brands includes Ben & Jerry's, Dove, Knorr, Cif, Domestos, Magnum, Cornetto and Vaseline. It has astir 3,000 employees successful Russia, moving crossed 4 manufacturing sites and 1 caput office. Products it sells successful Russia see idiosyncratic attraction and hygiene items and crystal cream.

It has faced disapproval for its determination to proceed to bash concern successful Russia amid planetary sanctions and the withdrawal of galore companies pursuing the penetration of Ukraine successful 2022.

Ecclissato said successful the missive that Unilever has faced 3 options for its Russia operations. One was closing each Russia operations, aft which helium said Unilever's concern and brands successful the state would beryllium "appropriated — and past operated — by the Russian state." The 2nd was selling the business, which helium said would besides apt payment the state. The third, which Unilever has adopted, was continuing to tally the concern with constraints that person been successful spot since March.

"To beryllium clear, nary of these options are desirable. Nevertheless, we judge the 3rd remains the champion option, some to debar the hazard of our concern ending up successful the hands of the Russian state, either straight oregon indirectly, and to assistance support our people. We volition of people proceed to support this presumption nether adjacent review," helium wrote.

Since the invasion, Unilever reports it has stopped each superior flows into and retired of the state and halted imports and exports of its products, arsenic good arsenic stopping media and advertizing spend.

Ecclissato said the institution experienced a 15% diminution successful income volumes successful Russia past year, but turnover accrued due to the fact that of terms rises and a stronger rouble. He said the institution paid 3.8 cardinal roubles ($42.06 million) successful taxes successful 2022.

The missive is simply a effect to a bid of questions from the B4Ukraine Coalition, which urged Unilever to instantly cease each operations successful Russia and exit the market. It asked for remark connected whether the institution had received requests for employees to beryllium conscripted and however it would respond to these, among different questions.

Ecclissato said Unilever runs its Russia concern "in alignment with our planetary principles including the information and wellbeing of our employees." He did not respond to B4Ukraine's question of whether immoderate employees had been conscripted oregon contacted astir conscription.

A Unilever spokesperson told the BBC that immoderate worker who was called up would not proceed to beryllium paid by the company.