In its first 'Partner to Win Supplier Summit' in South Africa, Unilever hosted 85 of its key suppliers with the theme 'Sustainable Living', which focused on the importance its partnerships and the crucial role they play in delivering on the group's Growth Plan targets.
Unilever chief procurement officer Marc Engel said, "The summit allows us to celebrate the unique relationship we have with our suppliers and to cement our commitment to growing our businesses in a mutually beneficial and sustainable way."
Since its international launch 18 months ago, the program has enabled the group to work more closely with its suppliers in co-creating new capabilities, sustainable practices and improved innovations. This event is designed to collectively identify the shared goals and objectives required in order for the group and its suppliers to Partner to Win.
Following on from the event itself, it hosted the 'Partner to Win Awards' dinner to celebrate and reward the South Africa suppliers that made a significant contribution in the categories of Innovation, Sustainability, Business Integration, Service Excellence and Capacity and Capability Development.
Marijn Van Tiggelen, chairman of Unilever South Africa said, "This event presented us with an opportunity to recognise the contributions of some of our suppliers, who are leaders in their fields."
Winners
- Winning through Innovation
- Plastop - partner in moulded bottles - investment in sleeving technology
- Brandtone - partner in mobile engagement - support for targeting consumers in the laundry category
- Winning through Sustainability
- CEOCo - partner in vegetable oils - producing the group's first volumes of sustainable sunflower oil
- Winning through Capacity and Capability
- Divfood - partner in metal cans - investment in capacity for the deodorant business
- Laxmi - partner in spices - developing leading processing technologies
- Winning through Service Excellence
- Point - partner in print and point of sale - streamlining the marketing print process
- DHL - partner in logistics and warehousing - seamlessly integrated its operations with the group
- Winning through Business Integration
- Premier Foods - partner in milled and dried flour - mitigating a significant risk to production by routing essential raw materials through their operations
- CEPSA - partner in normal paraffin and LAB - streamlining the supply chain
For more information, go to www.unilever.com/aboutus/supplier.
