The National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) has included the British corporation Unilever in the list of international sponsors of the war.
According to NACP, this is based on the fact that while operating in Russia, the company pays significant taxes to the Russian state budget, thereby supporting the aggressor’s economy and contributing to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
It is noted that after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the company promised to suspend all imports and exports to and from Russia, as well as cease all media and advertising expenses. However, during the year of the war, the profit of Unilever Russia doubled from 4.8 billion rubles (56 million euros) in 2021 to over 9.2 billion rubles (108 million euros) last year.
Furthermore, Unilever continues to employ over 3,000 workers in Russia. In 2022, the Russian business accounted for 1.4% of Unilever’s turnover and 2% of its net profit, which grew by a quarter and amounted to 8 billion euros in 2022.
According to NACP, Unilever has stated that its position regarding doing business in Russia has not changed, yet the company’s facilities in Omsk, Yekaterinburg, St. Petersburg, and Tula continue their operations, supporting the presence of Unilever brands in retail outlets.
“Unilever cannot claim to be against the war while indirectly supporting Putin’s war machine. We have included this company in the list of international sponsors of the war because their hundreds of millions in tax contributions to the Russian budget help finance the war against Ukraine and may indirectly fund some group of Russian mercenaries,” emphasized the Chairman of NACP, Oleksandr Novikov.
As previously reported, in March 2022, Unilever announced the suspension of imports and exports to and from Russia. Expenditures on media, advertising, and new investments in Russian business were also halted, while the Russian subsidiary, Unilever Russia LLC, continued its operations.
Unilever operates four factories and employs over 3,000 workers in Russia, with the Russian business accounting for 1.4% of the group’s turnover and 2% of its net profit in 2022. As of December 31, 2022, Unilever estimated its assets in Russia at around 900 million euros. In Ukraine, Unilever employs over 100 employees.
Overall, Unilever operates in more than 100 countries and produces products under brands such as Domestos, Axe, Rexona, Dove, Calve, Rama, Brooke Bond, Lipton, Crème Bonjour, CIF, Knorr, Sunsilk, Timotei, CLEAR, “Чистая Линия” (Pure Line), and others.
Photo: Open sources
