By Laura McGuire
The new chief of Unilever has vowed to look at the company’s decision to operate in Russia with a “fresh pair of eyes,” after it was criticised for continuing to operate in the country.
Hein Schumacher, who took over as head of the Dove soap maker in July, made the claim in a letter to a Ukrainian war veteran who wrote to the boss in a plea for the business to cease operations in the country.
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a number of global businesses such as McDonald’s and Coca-Cola exited the Russian market.
However, Unilever chose to keep its operations open in Russia, selling what it classed as “essential” items.
The Ukrainian government also named Unilever as a sponsor of the war after the business continued to pay taxes in Russia last year.
Schumacher promised to keep its operations in Russian under close review, but argued that trading in the region remained the “best option” to avoid the risk of its business ending up in the hands of the Russian state, “either directly or indirectly, and to help protect our people”.
In the letter, first seen by The Telegraph, the boss also said that withdrawal was “not straightforward”.
Unilever was contacted for comment.
