Managing Director of Unilever Ghana, Ziobeieton Yeo Consumer goods company, Unilever, says it has resolved to procure 99% of its packaging materials from the country.
According to the company, this has become necessary because it seeks to create more jobs for Ghanaians.
Before now, the company acquired 80% of its raw materials from the advanced countries for its production.
Speaking to JoyBusiness at the launch of the 6th edition of the Unilever Africa Idea Trophy, Managing Director of Unilever Ghana, Ziobeieton Yeo, said “One of the challenges that we have had has always been around capacity and capability and instead of sitting and watching, we have taken the lead on that particular front.”
Mr. Yeo added, “There’s no reason why we should continue to import what we can contribute to producing locally here so last year I briefed the team to try and localize as much as possible; we moved from a barely 20% local sourcing to today 99% of sourcing of our flexible so what you see in the market, be it lifebuoy, be it, geisha, all sourcing in Ghana; we contribute to creating jobs.”
Idea Trophy
The business challenge, Unilever Africa Idea Trophy was created by Unilever Turkey in 2001 to create a challenging and creative experience for university students as well as introduce young people to the realities of the business world.
This competition has spread to other Unilever businesses such as the Unilever NAME (North Africa and Middle East), UK, Turkey, Russia, Unilever Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and recently Cote D’Ivoire. It has seen the successful completion of five editions since its inception.
The latest edition, according to Mr Yeo seeks to provide students with the opportunity to work with a Unilever premium brand: OMO with the tagline, Dirty is Good (DiG).