Unilever stated that nearly all of its European office locations would be equally impacted, with the corporate centres in London and Rotterdam in the Netherlands being particularly affected
Ben & Jerry’s maker Unilever has revealed its looking to slash up to 3,200 jobs across Europe by the close of next year as part of a scheme to streamline operations and boost productivity.
The consumer goods giant earlier declared its intent to cull some 7,500 roles, which would shrink their global workforce by roughly 6%. The outlines of these job cuts have surfaced whilst the multinational commences a consultation period with employees.
In a call with senior execs on Wednesday that was later disclosed to the Financial Times (FT), Unilever forecasted a net reduction of around 3,000 to 3,200 positions in Europe alone by the end of 2025. Those likely to feel the brunt of these cuts appear to be corporate office employees rather than factory staff at locations such as Gloucester and Burton within the UK.
With a headcount of approximately 128,000 personnel worldwide, including a 6,000-strong contingent in the UK, Unilever operates from its London-based global headquarters in Blackfriars. A company spokesperson corroborated the imminent dialogue with those workers potentially impacted by the pending restructuring.
“We recognise the significant anxiety that these proposals are causing amongst our people,” admitted the spokesperson. “We are committed to supporting everyone through these changes, as we go through the consultation process.”
March saw Unilever, the owner of a range of household brands spanning from Cornetto, Marmite, and Pot Noodle to Dove, Comfort, and Persil, announce plans for its extensive company revamp. The company expressed its desire to become more productive and concentrate on doing fewer things better. It aims to save approximately 800million euros (£672million) over the next three years.
Unilever stated that nearly all of its European office locations would be equally impacted, with the corporate centres in London and Rotterdam in the Netherlands being particularly affected.