PROJECT

ON

MARKETING STRATEGIES OF
HINUSTAN UNILEVER LIMITED

SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULLFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT OF

THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF

BACHELOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

GUIDE: SUBMITTED BY:

Ms. SMITI SHAGUN JAIN

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR 28780001722

Madhuban Chowk, Outer Ring Rd, Block D, Sector 14, Rohini, Delhi, 110085

BATCH (2022-2025)
 CERTIFICATE

I, Mr./MS. ______________________, Roll No. ____________________certify

that the Project
Report/Dissertation (BBA 114) entitled
“________________________________________________________” is
completed by me and it is an authentic work carried out by me at
____________________________________________________________ (Name
of the Institute).

The matter embodied in this project work has not been submitted earlier for the
award of any degree or diploma to the best of my knowledge and belief.

• Signature of the Student

• Date:

Certified that the Project Report/Dissertation (BBA-312) entitled

“____________” done by Mr./Ms.__________, Roll No. ______ is
Completed under my guidance.

Name of the Guide:

Date:
Signature of the Guide
Designation:
Gitarattan International Business
school

Delhi-110085

Countersigned

Programme Coordinator Director

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Exchange of ideas generates a new object, which helps a person to work in a better
way. When a person is helped and provided guidance by others, his heart is found
to pay gratitude and commutative appreciation.

This report bears the imprints of many people for this I first express my deep sense of
gratitude to our Project Guide , who has been a constant source of inspiration to us.
I express my profound sense of gratitude to my guide, for all the encouragement
and inspiration given to me during the preparation of this report and having made
valuable critical comment on it.

I would be failing from my duties if I do not express my gratitude to all my faculty

members, for all the encouragement and inspiration given to me during the
preparation of the project report and for their valuable teaching and guidance
throughout.

SHAGUN JAIN
28780001722
S.No Chapter Name Page
No.

1. INTRODUCTION 5-18

2. LITERATURE REVIEW 19-27

3. RESEARCH METHODOLY 28-37

4. DATA ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION 38-44

5. FINDINGS 45-46

6. SUGGESTION 47-50

7. LIMITATION 50-54

8. REFERENCES 54-57
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The main objective of the project is to get the knowledge of the products of the Hindustan Unilever
Limited and what are they doing to get the customer loyalty and to maintain their market. This is
also to find the preferences of customer and there market knowledge and product information,
information about the presence of the rivals of Hindustan Unilever Limited and all the other options
they have in the market. What are the techniques they adopt to know about the preferences and
changing needs of the customer. Hindustan Unilever Limited are also looking to tap the market in
rural sector, so they also taking into consideration the needs and wants of the people there. They are
also studying the consumption habits of the rural people. Like most of them are daily wage earners
or small peasant.

As the per-capita income of India is increasing along with the Indian population. So, the future for
the FMCG Companies is bright. To analysis the past performance & the future demand of HUL,
FMCG products
 CHAPTER – 1

INTRODUCTION

MEANING OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Human resource management (HRM, or simply HR) is a function in organizations designed

to maximize employee performance of an employer's strategic objectives.HR is primarily
concerned with the management of people within organizations, focusing on policies and
systems. HR departments and units in organizations typically undertake a number of
activities, including employee recruitment, training and development, Performance
appraisal, and rewarding (e.g., managing pay and benefit systems). HR is also concerned
with industrial relations, that is, the balancing of organizational practices with
requirements arising from collective bargaining and from governmental laws.

HR is a product of the human relations movement of the early 20th century, when
researchers began documenting ways of creating business value through the strategic
management of the workforce. The function was initially dominated by transactional work,
such as payroll and benefits administration, but due to globalization, company
consolidation, technological advances, and further research, HR as of 2015 focuses on
strategic initiatives like mergers and acquisitions ,talent management succession planning,
industrial and labour diversity and inclusion.

In startup companies, HR duties may be performed by trained professionals. In larger

companies, an entire functional group is typically dedicated to the discipline, with staff
specializing in various HR tasks and functional leadership engaging in strategic decision
making across the business. To train practitioners for the profession, institutions of higher
education, professional associations, and companies themselves have created programs of
study dedicated explicitly to the duties of the function. Academic and practitioner
organizations likewise seek to engage and further the field of HR, as evidenced by several
field-specific publications. HR is also a field of research study that is popular within the
fields of management and industrial/organizational psychology, with research articles
appearing in a number of academic journals, including those mentioned later in this article.
In the current global work environment, most companies focus on lowering employee
turnover and on retaining the talent and knowledge held by their workforce. New hiring
not only entails a high cost but also increases the risk of a newcomer not being able to
replace the person who was working in that position before. HR departments also strive to
offer benefits that will appeal to workers, thus reducing the risk of losing corporate
knowledge.

IMPORTANCE OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

Why HRM is important for Organization today to make their HR into a competitive
advantage. The three competitive challenges are the challenge of sustainability, the global
challenge, and the technology challenge.

• The Challenge of Sustainability

There are many different type of companies/organization to operate in the

world and also competed each other to gain competitive advantage and also
sustainable so they try to implement many strategic for develop their HR.
Among them sustainability is the main part that can be influence and
encourage to reach organizational goal. Anyway they also take action
immediately to introduce, orientate, prepare guideline, provide high quality
products and services and especially use the right person in the right position
and on job training many time to gain staff capacity. There are many ways that
can bring the organizations treach goal are: - A learning organization: This
embraces a culture of lifelong learning, enabling all employees to continually
acquire & share knowledge. - The Balanced Scorecard: The balanced
scorecard gives managers an indication of the perspective for company to
satisfy internal and external customers, employees and shareholders
& it should link HRM activities to the company’s business strategy. This
include being customer-focused, improve quality, emphasizing teamwork and
managing for long time. Using the balance scorecard to manage the human
resources by communicating the scorecard to employee gives them a
framework that helps them to see the company goals and strategies and how
they influence the critical indicators. For example, Chase Manhattan bank
used the balance scorecard to change the behavior of customer services
representative would have simply met the customer’s need. - Total Quality -
Management (TQM): A cooperative form of doing business that relies on the
talents and capabilities of labor and management, the ways people, machines,
and systems accomplish work to continually improve quality and productivity.
For example, quality expert W. Edwards Deming emphasized how well the
product or service meets customer needs. To ensure this TQM need to create
an environment that support innovative, creativity, and risk taking to meet
customer demands. Changing demographics:
The workforce today is getting more diverse & therefore need to be managed
carefully. - Legal & ethical issues: It’s increasingly important to comply with
laws and ethics concerning employee health and safety, employee pay and
benefits and job security. - Increased value placed on intangible assets and
human capital: Today, more and more companies are interested in using
intangible assets and human capital as an advantage over competitors. A
company’s value includes 3 types of assets that are critical for the company to
provide goods and services.

The Global Challenge

Increasingly, organizations are finding that to survive they must cooperate with
organizations around the world. Companies/Organizations must both defends
domestic markets from foreign competitor global markets. In order to reach the
goal of companies HRM play the important role to run the business and make
good business environment to create smoothly work and also compete with the
other to gain competitive advantage by expansion to the global/area broaden
integration of cultures and values got and received.
 The technology Challenge

This challenge is also very important that organizations/companies should be

consider and prepare strategic plan to up-date it on time and saving the cost
also. New technology cause change in basic skill requirements and work
roles and often results in combining job. For example, U.S. Company to
compete with foreign competitors, they have to learn to better utilize
employees’ talents and skills and new technology. Like computer integrated
manufacturing uses robots and computer to automate the manufacturing
process. The computer allows the creation of different product to meet
market demands simply by reprogramming the computer. As a result, laborer,
material handler, operator-assembler, and maintenance job may be merged
into one position. Technology also has made human resource information
databases more available and accessible and has created a need to develop
HRM practices that integrate technology with people also increase the
production speed to meet the demand of customer more effectively.

FUNCTIONS OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGERS

An organization cannot build a good team of working professionals without

good Human Resources. The key functions of the Human Resources
Management (HRM) team include recruiting people, training them, performance
appraisals, motivating employees as well as workplace communication,
workplace safety, and much more.

The beneficial effects of these functions are discussed here:

• Recruitment and training

It is one of the major responsibilities of the human resource team. The HR

managers come up with plans and strategies for hiring the right kind of
people. They design the criteria which is best suited for a specific job
 description. Their other tasks related to recruitment include formulating
the obligations of an employee and the scope of tasks assigned to him or
her. Based on these two factors, the contract of an employee with the
company is prepared. When needed, they also provide training to the
employees according to the requirements of the organization. Thus, the
staff members get the opportunity to sharpen their existing skills or
develop specialized skills which in turn, will help them to take up some
new roles.

• Performance Appraisals

HRM encourages the people working in an organization, to work according

to their potential and gives them suggestions that can help them to bring
about improvement in it. The team communicates with the staff
individually from timeto time and provides all the necessary information
regarding their performances and also defines their respective roles. This is
beneficial as it enables them to form an outline of their anticipated goals in
much clearer terms and thereby, helps them execute the goals with best
possible efforts. Performance appraisals, when taken on a regular basis,
motivate the employees.

• Maintaining Work Atmosphere

This is a vital aspect of HRM because the performance of an individual in

an organization is largely driven by the work atmosphere or work culture
that prevails at the workplace. A good working condition is one of the
benefits that the employees can expect from an efficient human resource
team. A safe, clean and healthy environment can bring out the best in an
employee. A friendly atmosphere gives the employees job satisfaction as
well.
 • Managing Disputes

In an organization, there are several issues on which disputes may arise

between the employees and the employers. You can say conflicts are
almost inevitable. In such a scenario, it is the human resource department
which acts as a consultant and mediator to sort out those issues in an
effective manner. They first hear the grievances of the employees. Then
they come up with suitable solutions to sort them out. In other words, they
take timely action and prevent things from going out of hands.
• Developing Public Relations

The responsibility of establishing good public relations lies with the HRM
to a great extent. They organize business meetings, seminars and various
official gatherings on behalf of the company in order to build up
relationships with other business sectors. Sometimes, the HR department
plays an active role in preparing the business and marketing plans for the
organization too.

Any organization, without a proper setup for HRM is bound to suffer from serious
problems while managing its regular activities. For this reason, today, companies
must put a lot of effort and energy into setting up a strong and effective HRM.

EVOLUTION OF HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

The evolution of the concept of Human Resource Management is presented below:

Post Industrial revolution

The term Human resource Management saw a major evolution after 1850. Various studies
were released and many experiments were conducted during this period which gave HRM
altogether a new meaning and importance.

A brief overview of major theories release during this period is presented below

• Frederick W. Taylor gave principles of scientific management (1857 o 1911) led to the
evolution of scientific human resource management approach which was involved in

– Worker’s training

– Maintaining wage uniformity

– Focus on attaining better productivity.

 • Hawthorne studies, conducted by Elton Mayo & Fritz Roethlisberger (1927 to 1940). –
Observations and findings of experiment shifted the focus of Human resource from
increasing worker’s productivity to increasing worker’s efficiency through greater work
satisfaction.

• Douglas McGregor Theory X and Theory Y (1960) and Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of
needs ( 1954) – These studies and observations led to the transition from the
administrative and passive Personnel Management approach to a more dynamic
Human Resource Management approach which considered workers as a valuable resource.
As a result of these principles and studies. Human resource management became
increasingly line management function, linked to core business operations. Some of the
major activities of HR department are listed as-

• Recruitment and selection of skilled workforce.

• Motivation and employee benefits

• Training and development of workforce

• Performance related salaries and appraisals.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

NEED OF THE STUDY

To increase the effectiveness of different recruiting techniques and sources for all types
of jobs applicants in the organization.

• To identify the various sources of recruitment.

• To obtain the number and quality of employees that can be selected in order to help the
organization to achieve its goals and objectives.
 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Methodology is a systematic process of identifying and formulating by setting

objectives and methods for collecting, editing and tabulating to find solutions.
Research Design:

The problem that follows the task of defining the research problem is the preparation of the
design of the research project is called as research design.

The research design undertaken by the researcher is Descriptive Research Design. This
research design is concerned with the research studies with a focus on the portrayal of the
characteristics of a group of individuals or a situation.

•
Actually data is of two kinds which are following- Primary Data: primary data

are those, which are afresh and for thefirst time and this happen to be
original in character.
• Secondary Data: secondary data are those data which have alreadybeen
collected by someone else and which have already been used as perrequiredThere are
basically two sources to collect secondary data.

• Internally: provided by company/organisation

• Externally: various publication of central, state and local government. Books,

 magazines, newspapers Internet . After only keeping in mind one can think

about what type of data has to becollected during research as our research is

concerned I have to get the primary data for customer preference.

SOURCES OF DATA COLLECTION

The source of the data collection used in the research is Secondary Data.
The kinds of secondary data used in this research are:

• Reference Books
• Websites (Internet).

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

• The duration of the study was limited and hence elaborate and comprehensive project
survey could not be undertaken.

• The personal bias of the respondents might have entered their responses.
Due to limited time constraint, only a small sample had to be considered which does not reflect the
actual picture.
 CHAPTER 2

PROFILE OF THE ORGANISATION

Hindustan Unilever Limited is an Indian consumer goods company based in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Stock price: HINDUNILVR (NSE) Rest.₹ 840.40 +2.75 (+0.33%) 8 Nov, 3:30 PM IST

CEO: Sanjiv Mehta

Headquarters: Mumbai

Founded: October 17, 1933

Parent organization: Unilever

Founders: Lever Brothers, United Traders Ltd., Hindustan Vanaspati Mfg. Co. Ltd

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is an Indian consumer goods company based in

Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is owned by Anglo-Dutch company Unilever which owns a 67%
controlling share in HUL as of March 2015 and is the holding company of HUL.HUL's
products include foods, beverages, cleaning agents, personal care products and water
purifiers.

HUL was established in 1933 as Lever Brothers and, in 1956, became known as Hindustan
Lever Limited, as a result of a merger between Lever Brothers, Hindustan Vanaspati Mfg.
Co. Ltd. and United Traders Ltd. It is headquartered in Mumbai, India and employs over
18,000 workers, whilst also indirectly helping to facilitate the employment of over 65,000
people. The company was renamed in June 2007 as "Hindustan Unilever Limited. "

Hindustan Unilever's distribution covers over 2 million retail outlets across India directly
and its products are available in over 6.4 million outlets in the country. As per Nielsen
market research data, two out of three Indians use HUL products.
 BRANDS

HUL is the market leader in Indian consumer products with presence in over 20 consumer
categories such as soaps, tea, detergents and shampoos amongst others with over 700 million

Indian consumers using its products. Sixteen of HUL's brands featured in the ACNielsen
Brand Equity list of 100 Most Trusted Brands Annual Survey (2014), carried out by Brand
Equity, a supplement of The Economic Times

The "most trusted brands" from HUL in the top 100 list (their rankings in brackets) are:
Lux (6),
Surf Excel (7), Clinic Plus (8), Rin (13), Lifebuoy (15), Close up (21), Pond's (22),
Pepsodent (24), Fair & Lovely (29), Dove (30), Sunsilk (34), Vim (48), Wheel (67), Vaseline

(70),Pears (78), Lakme (91).

The latest launches for Hindustan Unilever include: Knorr Chinese Noodles, Schezwan
and Hot & Spicy, Lakme Absolute Sculpt Range, Lakme Lip Love, Magnum Choco
Cappuccino and Axe Gold Temptation.

Its brands include:

Food brands:

• Annapurna salt and atta

• Bru coffee
• Brooke Bond (3 Roses, Taj Mahal, Taaza, Red Label) tea
• Kissan squashes, ketchups, juices and jams
• Lipton tea
• Knorr soups & meal makers and soupy noodles
• Kwality Wall's frozen dessert
• Modern Bread, ready to eat chapattis and other bakery items (now sold to everstone) •
Magnum (ice cream)

Homecare Brands:

• Active Wheel detergent

• Cif Cream Cleaner
• Comfort fabric softeners
• Domex disinfectant/toilet cleaner
• Rin detergents and bleach
• Sunlight detergent and color care
• Surf Excel detergent and gentle wash
• Vim dish wash
• Magic – Water Saver
Personal Care Brands:

• Aviance Beauty Solutions

• Axe deodorant and after shaving lotion and soap
• LEVER Ayush Therapy ayurvedic health care and personal care products
• Breeze beauty soap
• Clear anti-dandruff hair products
• Clinic Plus shampoo and oil
• Close Up toothpaste
• Dove skin cleansing & hair care range: bar, lotions, creams and anti-perspirant deodorants

• Denim shaving products

• Fair & Lovely skin-lightening products
• Hamam
• Lakmé beauty products and salons
• Lifebuoy soaps and handwash range
• Liril 2000 soap
• Lux soap, body wash and deodorant
• Pears soap
• Pepsodent toothpaste
• Pond's talcs and creams
• Rexona soap
• Sunsilk shampoo
• Sure anti-perspirant
• Vaseline petroleum jelly, skin care lotions
• TRESemmé.
VISION OF THE COMPANY

Unilever is a unique company, with a proud history and a bright future. We have
ambitious plans for sustainable growth and an intense sense of social purpose.
 A clear direction for themselves
The purpose is to make sustainable living commonplace. We work to create a better
future every day, with brands and services that help people feel good, look good, and get
more out of life.
In 2009, they launched The Compass – our strategy for sustainable growth. It sets out
our clear and compelling vision to double the size of the business, while reducing our
environmental footprint and increasing our positive social impact and gives life to their
determination to build a sustainable business for the long term. This is captured in the
Unilever Sustainable Living Plan.

By combining their multinational expertise with our deep roots in diverse local cultures,
we’re continuing to provide a range of products to suit a wealth of consumers. We’re
also strengthening our strong relationships in the emerging markets we believe will be
significant for our future growth.
And by leveraging their global reach and inspiring people to take small, everyday
actions, they believe we can help make a big difference to the world.
"We cannot close our eyes to the challenges that the world faces. Business must make an
explicit and positive contribution to addressing them. I’m convinced we can create a
more equitable and sustainable world for all of us by doing so,” says Unilever CEO Paul
Polman.

“But this means that business has to change. The Unilever Sustainable Plan is a blueprint
for sustainable growth. And in 2014 we are strengthening our Plan with new
commitments to drive further transformational change.”

Their Priorities and Principles

Unilever is committed to supporting sustainability and providing our consumers around
the world with the products they need to look good, feel good and get more out of life.

Five key priorities provide the foundation for our brand’s campaigns. Read some
examples of how different brands are upholding these principles.

A better future for children

• Our oral care brands Signal and Close-Up encourage children to brush their teeth day and
night for optimal dental health. We also partner the FDI World Dental Federation, supporting
oral health programmes around the world
• Brands such as Omo and Persil have helped parents believe the unconventional philosophy
that Dirt is Good. Children learn through play, and mud spatters and grass stains can easily
be removed with effective laundry products
• Unilever also partners the World Food Programme and launched the Together for Child
Vitality initiative to bring our expertise in nutrition to children in some of the world’s poorest
countries.

A healthier future

• Our Flora/Becel margarine brands have been scientifically proven to help reduce
cholesterol levels
• Vaseline has launched the Vaseline Skin Care Foundation, providing research into skin
conditions and support for people affected by them
• Lifebuoy soap has long had a presence in developing markets around the world, and its
campaign to promote handwashing with soap was celebrated by 200 million people
across 53 countries in 2013.

THE GLOBAL PLAN

The Unilever Sustainable Living Plan

The Unilever Sustainable Living Plan is the blueprint for achieving the vision to grow the
business, whilst decoupling our environmental footprint from our growth and increasing
our positive social impact.

The Plan sets stretching targets, including how we source raw materials and how
consumers use our brands. The scale of our ambition means that we are finding new ways
to partner with others in business, government and society.

Faced with the challenge of climate change and the need for human development, we
want to move towards a world where everyone can live well and within the natural limits
of the planet. That’s why our purpose is ‘to make sustainable living commonplace’.

PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLES

The hul Corporate Purpose states that to succeed requires "the highest standards of
corporate behaviour towards everyone we work with, the communities we touch, and
the environment on which we have an impact."

• Always working with integrity

 Conducting our operations with integrity and with respect for the many people,
organisations and environments our business touches has always been at the heart of
our corporate responsibility.

• Positive impact
We aim to make a positive impact in many ways: through our brands, our commercial
operations and relationships, through voluntary contributions, and through the various
other ways in which we engage with society.
Continuous commitment
We're also committed to continuously improving the way we manage our
environmental impacts and are working towards our longer-term goal of developing a
sustainable business.

• Setting out our aspirations

Our Corporate Purpose sets out our aspirations in running our business. It's
underpinned by our Code of Business Principles which describes the operational
standards that everyone at Unilever follows, wherever they are in the world. The Code
also supports our approach to governance and corporate responsibility.
• Working with others
We want to work with suppliers who have values similar to our own and work to the
same standards we do. Our Supplier Code, aligned to our own Code of Business
Principles, comprises eleven principles covering business integrity and responsibilities
relating to employees, consumers and the environment.

LEADERSHIP

HUL has produced many business leaders for corporate India, including Harish Manwani,
the non-executive chairman of HUL and the former chief operating officer of Unilever. He
was also a member of Unilever Leadership Executive team (ULE), which comprises the
company's top management and is responsible for managing Unilever's profit and loss, and
delivering growth across its regions, categories and functions. Sanjiv Mehta was appointed
as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HUL with effect from 10 October
2013. He has also been appointed as Executive vice-president, South Asia, Unilever and is
also the executive head of the South Asia cluster for Unilever.

• Hindustan Unilever Limited earned the highest recognition of ‘Leadership in HR

 Excellence’ across industries at the 5th Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) National
HR Excellence Awards 2014.

• With a ranking of three in the 2014 Global Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders
survey, HUL was the highest ranked Indian company to feature on the list.

• HUL was ranked 4th in the Hewitt Global Leadership Survey 2007 with only GE, P&G
and Nokia ranking ahead of HUL in the ability to produce leaders. A study conducted by
Aon Hewitt, The RBL Group and Fortune in 2011, ranked the company number six in
the list of 'Top Companies for Leaders 2011 Study Results'. The company was awarded
the CII- Prize for Leadership in HR Excellence at the 2nd CII National HR Conclave
2011 held on October 2011.

PURPOSE AND PRINCIPLES

The hul Corporate Purpose states that to succeed requires "the highest standards of
corporate behaviour towards everyone we work with, the communities we touch, and
the environment on which we have an impact."

• Always working with integrity

Conducting our operations with integrity and with respect for the many people,
organisations and environments our business touches has always been at the heart of
our corporate responsibility.

• Positive impact
We aim to make a positive impact in many ways: through our brands, our commercial
operations and relationships, through voluntary contributions, and through the various
other ways in which we engage with society.

• Continuous commitment
We're also committed to continuously improving the way we manage our
environmental impacts and are working towards our longer-term goal of developing a
sustainable business.

• Setting out our aspirations

Our Corporate Purpose sets out our aspirations in running our business. It's
underpinned by our Code of Business Principles which describes the operational
standards that everyone at Unilever follows, wherever they are in the world. The Code
also supports our approach to governance and corporate responsibility.
 • Working with others
We want to work with suppliers who have values similar to our own and work to the
same standards we do. Our Supplier Code, aligned to our own Code of Business
Principles, comprises eleven principles covering business integrity and responsibilities
relating to employees, consumers and the environment.

LEADERSHIP
HUL has produced many business leaders for corporate India, including Harish Manwani, the non-
executive chairman of HUL and the former chief operating officer of Unilever. He was also a
member of Unilever Leadership Executive team (ULE), which comprises the company's top
management and is responsible for managing Unilever's profit and loss, and delivering growth
across its regions, categories and functions. Sanjiv Mehta was appointed as the Managing Director
and Chief Executive Officer of HUL with effect from 10 October 2013. He has also been appointed
as Executive vice-president, South Asia, Unilever and is also the executive head of the South Asia
cluster for Unilever.

• Hindustan Unilever Limited earned the highest recognition of ‘Leadership in HR

Excellence’ across industries at the 5th Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) National
HR Excellence Awards 2014.

• With a ranking of three in the 2014 Global Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders
survey, HUL was the highest ranked Indian company to feature on the list.

• HUL was ranked 4th in the Hewitt Global Leadership Survey 2007 with only GE, P&G
and Nokia ranking ahead of HUL in the ability to produce leaders. A study conducted by
Aon Hewitt, The RBL Group and Fortune in 2011, ranked the company number six in
the list of 'Top Companies for Leaders 2011 Study Results'. The company was awarded
the CII- Prize for Leadership in HR Excellence at the 2nd CII National HR Conclave
2011 held on October 2011.

RESEARCH FACILITIES

Unilever R&D Centre is in Bangalore.

The Hindustan Unilever Research Centre (HURC) was set up in 1967 in Mumbai, and Unilever
Research India in Bangalore in 1997. Staff at these centers developed many innovations in
products and manufacturing processes. In 2006, the company's research facilities were brought
together at a single site in BangalorE.
 CHAPTER – 3

REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

DISCUSSION WITH RESPECT TO THE HR POLICIES OF HUL

Recruitment and selection is one of the most important aspects in the Human resource
management context. In the modern economy, human resource is considered to be the most
valuable asset for any organization. Acquisition of exceptional talent pool proves the
sustainability of every business. Looking at these aspects it can be easily assumed that the
processes involved in the recruitment and selection have to undergo tremendous change to
ensure quality of talent acquisition.
However the processes involved in the recruitment and selection is misunderstood by the people
who find it difficult to derive the technical difference between ‘Recruitment’ and ‘Selection’.

Recruitment is the process of attracting individuals or groups on a timely basis, in a sufficient

number, with appropriate qualifications to apply for a job in an organization.

Whereas, Selection is a set of processes to examine the recruitment process and filter the most
appropriate profile for the vacancy.

Organizational image Vs Recruitment and selection

Organization’s image plays a vital role in the recruitment and selection process. There is a
greater involvement in decision making for recruitment and selection process as the
recruitment and selection procedures are directly associated with the brand image and brand
equity of an organization. A good image of an organization reflects the organizational culture
and work process.

RECRUITMENT IN HUL

HUL is an Indian FMCG major and hence constantly follows the predefined best practices
for its recruitment and selection process. The HR managers at HUL do the personnel planning
or the vacancy planning through the below resources.

• The internet
• Online based job portals
• English and Hindi news papers
• On campus recruitment

After completing the personnel planning the HR managers at HUL try to find out which channel
of recruitment to be followed.

Channels of recruitment - Normally we know about two types of recruitment channel.

Those are:

External recruitment channel

• Walk- INS and write- INS

• Employee referrals
• Advertising
• Private placement agencies & Professional search firms
• Educational institutions & Professional associates
Internal recruitment channel

Current employees are a major source of recruits for all but entry- level positions of Unilever
ltd. Whether for promotions or for lateral job transfers, internal candidates already know the
already informal organization and have detail information about its formal policies. In fact
for Unilever this sort of recruitment is occurred only with especial purpose experienced
employee recruitment. It is frequently occurred in the Brand Management department. For
senior posts in
Brand Management, employees’ recruitment takes channel through the internal human resource
inventory.

SELECTION PROCESS IN UNILEVER

Selection is the process of selecting the best candidates for the job by using various tools and
techniques.
In our country, recruitmentand selection process work simultaneously. Those are joined
terms employment function of the organization and this employment function is stated here
for Unilever's practices.

• Reception of application:

After accomplishing the recruitment process, Unilever go to the selection process where they start
the process with the reception of application form filled up through internet online form.

After scrutinizing the data, they select applications for written test.

• Evaluating reference and biographical data:

At the second stage of evaluating the data, they verify the validity and authenticity of the
information presented in the form as well as reference of the employee through references.
 • Employment test:

This written test measures the candidates

1. Analytical ability

2. Computation ability

3. Verbal skill

4. Written skill

5. General knowledge

More above 65% marks ensures applicants pass.

• Assessing candidate through interview:

Mainly three steps are followed in the selection procedure.

First phase:

The candidates are invited for a viva with sales and training manager. A human resource manager
also exists there. In this viva the candidate’s situation handle ability is measured.

Second phase:

It is the viva with the general sales and operation manager (GOSM), and trade marketing
manager. At this stage individual skill is measured. The questions tries to measure out the
fitness of the candidate for the post.

Third phase:

In this stage the applicant face the HRD customer development team (CDT) this phase
measure the applicability of the applicant’s potential for the jobs. In these stage why the
applicant prefers the Unilever and why it would like to join the expected team. The questions
try to
measure the passion and the thrill in the employees or Unilever.

• Cognitive ability test:

There is no recognized cognitive ability test for Unilever selection process. However, the written
test through its analytical questions the dose of the cognitive test on applicant’s mentality.

• Physical ability test:

The physical test is administered by Apollo Hospital to measure the HIV, Hepatitis B, C or such
diseases in its applicant’s health and fitness for job effort.
• Work samples:
For some technical jobs Unilever follows the work sample test on particular employee like the
one of Finance and IT.

• Hiring decision:

Success at every step ensures the placement of the applicant in the Unilever family. Also the
profile of the company which attracts the candidate to join plays a major role.

• Brand Trust Report 2014 published by Trust Research

Advisory. 36 HUL brands also featured in the list including Lux, Dove, Lipton, Vim,
Kissan, Bru, Rexona, Close Up, Clinic Plus, Pond's, Knorr, and Pepsodent among others.
• HUL emerged as the top 'Dream Employer' as well as the top company considered for
application in the annual B-School Survey conducted by Nielsen in November 2010. This
 was the second successive year that HUL has been rated as the top 'Dream Employer' in
India.

• HUL has also emerged as the top employer of choice among the top six Indian Institutes
of Management.

• HUL won three awards at the 'CNBC Awaaz Storyboard Consumer Awards' in 2011 –
Most Recommended FMCG Company of the Year; Most Consumer Conscious

Company of the Year and Digital Marketer of the Year.

• The company was felicitated in April 2010 for receiving the highest number of patents in
the year 2009 at Annual Intellectual Property Awards 2010.
In 2007, Hindustan Unilever was rated as the most respected company in India for the
past 25 years by Business world, one of India's leading business magazines. The rating
was based on a compilation of the magazine's annual survey of India's most reputed
companies over the past 25 years.

• HUL is one of the country's largest exporters; it has been recognized as a Golden Super
Star Trading House by the Government of India.

RESEARCH FACILITIES

Unilever R&D Centre is in Bangalore.

The Hindustan Unilever Research Centre (HURC) was set up in 1967 in Mumbai, and Unilever
Research India in Bangalore in 1997. Staff at these centers developed many innovations in
products and manufacturing processes. In 2006, the company's research facilities were brought
together at a single site in Bangalore.
CHAPTER – 3

REVIEW OF LITERATURE AND

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

DISCUSSION WITH RESPECT TO THE HR

POLICIES OF HUL

Recruitment and selection is one of the most important aspects in the Human resource
management context. In the modern economy, human resource is considered to be the
most valuable asset for any organization. Acquisition of exceptional talent pool proves
the sustainability of every business. Looking at these aspects it can be easily assumed
that the processes involved in the recruitment and selection have to undergo
tremendous change to ensure quality of talent acquisition.
However the processes involved in the recruitment and selection is misunderstood by the
people who find it difficult to derive the technical difference between ‘Recruitment’ and
‘Selection’.

Recruitment is the process of attracting individuals or groups on a timely basis, in a

sufficient number, with appropriate qualifications to apply for a job in an organization.

Whereas, Selection is a set of processes to examine the recruitment process and filter the
most appropriate profile for the vacancy.

Organizational image Vs Recruitment and selection

Organization’s image plays a vital role in the recruitment and selection process. There
is a greater involvement in decision making for recruitment and selection process as
the recruitment and selection procedures are directly associated with the brand image
and brand equity of an organization. A good image of an organization reflects the
organizational culture and work process.

OTHER HR POLICIES AND PRACTICES

HUL’s total employee strength, as of December 31, 2009, was 15,466. HUL also had
18,210 variable manpower including 800 fixed-term and temporary contract
employees. HUL encourage employment of local residents in the manufacturing
operations depending upon availability of skills. Their employee relations policy
recognizes the freedom of association and collectivebargaining. The company follows
a collective bargaining process while finalizing long-term settlements in all supply
chain units. All the workmen at the supply chain units are organized and are
represented by various unions/authorized representatives in their units. In 2009,
10,018employees were covered under collective bargaining agreements across
manufacturing operations and offices .We have witnessed 4.9% voluntary attrition
managers and 9% amongst officers in2009. The total rate of employee turnover (total
exits due to resignation, retirement, demise, early retirement) in 2009 was 10% for
managers and 14% for officers. The rate of turnover for workmen in the operations
was negligible.

Child labor:

HUL’s recruitment policy doesn't permit engagement of child labor directly or indirectly.
Regular audits ensure compliance at their own sites and at third party locations/sites.
Forced or compulsory labor:
The Employee Relations Policy and business principles adopted by the company prohibit
such practices and this is upheld in letter and spirit.

Rights of indigenous people:

HUL haven't witnessed any violations of the rights of indigenous people and none of their
sites are at risk of violating such rights.

Diversity:

HUL is committed to maintaining diversity in their working environment. HUL

aggressively pursue the target of increasing the proportion of women in management
cadres. HUL have a number of gender-friendly policies such as Maternity Benefit,
Flexi-working, and Agile Working from remote location, Sabbaticals, Part-time work
and Career Breaks. In 2009, 19% of HUL’s managers and 9% of our officers were
women. Their eight-member management committee has a woman member.

Employees: Building responsible leaders

HUL’s employees are their biggest assets. Every step taken by their team boosts
growth exponentially. HUL Endeavour to constantly strengthen their team's
capabilities and develop innovative business solutions for a competitive, profitable,
and sustainable future. HUL has clear action plans aimed at building responsible
leaders, ensuring employee health and safety and promoting sound human resource
practices and policies. Over the years, their approach towards nurturing leaders has
been very success.

It is vital that HUL has people with the right talent and supporting systems to meet their
growth ambition.
HUL develops people and build structures to help them advance towards their new vision.
It is essential for them to build the capabilities of people- Instill values- Ensure health and
safety.
Develop responsible Human Resource (HR) practices and policies.

Building capabilities.
Developing and retaining the right people is going to be crucial for growth strategy. HUL
consistently nurture talent and promote leadership practices that develop a strong team of
leaders.

Business Leadership Training program:

HUL’s Business Leadership Training program grooms young managers and makes
them business leaders. It provides exposure to the various functions in a large
organization. Each year, they choose the best business schools and engineering
colleges in the country and select promising talent to join us for the program. During
this 15-18 month structured program, each trainee goes through cross-functional
stints, a rural stint and an international stint (in another Unilever business). To
facilitate learning, a senior manager is appointed as a mentor, a young manager is
designated for informal connect and support, and a tutor is assigned to every trainee.

Leadership development:

Leadership development is a strength HUL has built over decades and it is jointly
owned by line managers, HR and employees themselves. The entire process is holistic
and well integrated, right from attracting the best talent, providing diverse experiences
through challenging roles and job rotations every 2-3 years, a high performance
culture, strong capability building plans, rigorous and well-executed HR planning
processes. Some of their talent processes are considered industry best practices, for
example, the Functional Resource Committees, Leadership Differentiation Toolkit (a
matrix that maps high performing and high potential individuals based on an objective
evaluation process every year on the 'what' and 'how' of performance). These
observations are then used to devise strong career and development plans for
managers, which includes career planning and international
opportunities within Unilever. HUL is a key source of talent for Unilever and currently
195 HUL managers are on international assignments with Unilever.

Engaging future leaders:

In 2009, HUL and CNBC TV 18 started 'Lessons in Marketing Excellence'. It was a
series of Inter Business School marketing challenges. Through this initiative,
marketing students got an opportunity to go through real life business cases and
display their thought process and devise solutions with the advice of those in the
industry.

India immersion:

In order to connect employees to the rural population and bring them closer to the
social and economic challenges India is facing, HUL has a rural program for managers
as well as the HULSankalp volunteering initiative.

HUL Sankalp:

This is HUL formal employee volunteering initiative. In 2008, our 75th year in India,
HULemployees committed to volunteering one hour for each day HUL has been in
India, which collectively meant 27,375 hours of community service. In 2008, their
employees volunteered morethan 48,000hours against a target of 27,375 hours. In
2009, HUL clocked more than 115,000 hours of volunteer work.

Rural Programs for Managers:

Business Leadership Trainees are required to go through a rural stint and spend time
working on projects that address the concerns of the rural population. In 2009,
37trainees were sent for such projects.

They interacted with the rural consumer and understood their profile, psyche, and lifestyle.
They also gained an understanding of the Shakti micro-enterprise model.

Instilling values:
HUL code of business principles describes the operational standards that everyone at HUL
follows. It also supports our approach to governance and corporate responsibility.
Code of Business Principles:

People, integrity, and values have always been central to HUL and will continue to be
so. HUL policies and programs are based on the values as set out in HUL Code of
Business Principles (CoBP). This describes the way we treat our people and also the
high standards of behavior and integrity we expect of them. It is the moral framework
that guides us in HUL day-to-day operations and establishes an unshakeable value
system. This code is founded on three basic principles: - Formation of trust and
respect- Building mutually beneficial relationships- Engaging in responsible
management practices to deepen the understanding of this code awareness/re-iteration
workshops and reinforcement programs are also carried out regularly in a structured
manner by the members of the management committee and leadership teams. Such
training also includes anti-corruption awareness. Violations of the CoBP are reported
in the quarterly communication bulletin to enhance sensitivity of the employees to
CoBP compliance. These reports are also translated into the local language. All new
employees receive the entire code as part of their initiation kit. A copy of the code and
a detailed report about reported cases is accessible to all employees via the company
intranet.

Responsible leaders:

Sustainability is now even more closely tied to HUL business strategy. Ensuring its
implementation requires a workforce that is aware of the wider impacts the business
has on society and the environment.
HUL R&D function has developed a three-day sustainability foundation course. The
course is open to all managers across the business. A complementary sustainability
awareness e- learning module was developed in 2009. These courses aim to show how
one can deftly weave sustainability into our business strategy as a means of achieving
a competitive advantage.
 CHAPTER – 4

DATA ANALYSIS & INTERPRETATION

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India’s largest FMCG Company, touching the lives
of two out of three Indians with over 20 distinct categories in home & personal products
and food

&beverages. HUL is also one of the country’s largest exporters; it has been recognized as
a Golden Super Star Trading House by the Government of India.

HUL was formed in 1933 as Levers Brothers India Limited and came into being in
1956 as Hindustan Lever Limited through a merger of Lever Brothers, Hindustan
Vanaspati Mfg. co. ltd. And United Traders Limited. It is headquartered in Mumbai,
India and has an employee strength of over 15000 employees and contributes for
indirect employmentof over 52000 people.
The company was renamed in June 2007 to “HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LIMITED”.

HUL is the market leader in the Indian consumer products with the presence in over
20 consumer categories such as soaps, tea, detergents and shampoos among others
with over 700 million Indian consumers using its products. It has over 35 brands.
It’s a company that has consistently had the highest number of brands in the Top 50
and in the Top 10(with 4 brands)

Hindustan Unilever’s distribution covers over 1 million retail outlets across India
directly and its products are available in over 63 million outlets in India i.e. nearly
80% of the retail outlets in India.
 1. Do you have a clearly stated Recruitment & Selection Policy?

OPTIONS NO. OF % OF
RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS
YES 40 80

NO 3 6

TO SOME EXTENT 7 14

RECRUITMENT POLICY

80
80
70
60
50
40
40
YES
30 NO
20
14 TO SOME EXTENT
10 37

NO. OF
RESPONDENTS % OF
RESPONDENTS

INTERPRETATION:

Employees were asked about their opinion on the Recruitment and

Selection Policy in the company. Out of 50, 40 responded positively
about the clarity of the policy, 3 were dissatisfied and the rest 7 were
satisfied up to some extent. The above chart depicts that majority of
the employees have the opinion that the company is having clear
Recruitment and Selection Policy.
 2. What is the quality of Axis Consultants recruitment System?

NO. OF % OF
RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS
OPTIONS
QUICK RESPONSE 2 4

QUALITY PEOPLE 25 50

COORDINATION 15 30

UPDATING DATABASE 8 16

QUALITY OF EXISTING RECRUITMENT

SYSTEM
50
50
45
40
35
30
30 25 QUICK RESPONSE
25 QUALITY PEOPLE
20 16 COORDINATION
15 UPDATING DATABASE
15
10

NO. OF % OF
RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS

INTERPRETATION:

Employees were asked about the quality of the existing Recruitment

System. Out of 50, 2 responded that the company believes in quick
response for requirement, 25 responded that it believes in hiring
quality people no matter how long it takes, 15 responded that the
Recruitment System is all about the proper co-ordination among the
different teams and 8 responded that it happens as the company
maintains and updates the database efficiently. The
above chart depicts that majority of the employees think that the company
believes in hiring quality people.
3 What Recruitment sources are used ?

OPTIONS NO. OF % OF
RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS
ADVERTISEMENTS 10 20

REFERRALS 10 20

CONSUTANTS 15 30

PORTALS 5 10

ALL OF THESE 10 20

RECRUITMENT SOURCES

30
30

25
2020 20
20 ADVERTISEMENTS
15 REFERRALS
15
CONSULTANTS
1010 10 10
PORTALS
10
ALL OF THESE

NO. OF % OF
RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS

INTERPRETATION:

Employees were asked as to what are the Recruitment Sources from

where HUL try to woo people to join them. Out of 50, 10 responded
that they take help of advertisements, 10 responded in favour of
referrals, 15 said they take help of consultants, 5 said portals are of
great help and 10 responded that HUL make use of all of these. The
above chart depicts that, it takes the help of every
source be it small or big, but majorly they approach consultants for
headhunting.
 4. Does HUL adopt Internal Recruitment Source i.e. Transfers and
Promotions?

OPTIONS NO. OF RESPONDENTS % OF RESPONDENTS

YES 50 100
NO 0 0

ADOPTION OF INTERNAL
RECRUITMENT SOURCE

INTERPRETATION:

Employees were asked if the company adopts internal Recruitment Source, i.e.
transfers and promotions. All the 50 respondents responded in favour of the
statement and said, yes, the company believes in transfers and promotions as a
big source to fill up their vacant positions, provided the person should be
worthy of it. Hence, the chart depicts that all the respondents feel that company
believes in availing the talent that is present internally.
5.Which source of Recruitment is better for companies?

OPTIONS NO. OF RESPONDENTS % OF RESPONDENTS

INTERNAL 15 30
EXTERNAL 2 4
DEPENDS 33 66

BETTER SOURCE OF RECRUITMENT

100%
90%
80%
70% 33 66
60% DEPENDS
50% EXTERNAL
40% INTERNAL
2 4
30%
20% 15 30
10%
0%
NO. OF % OF
RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS

INTERPRETATION:

Employees were asked individually about their opinion as to which

Recruitment is better. 15 out of 50 responded that according to them
Internal Source of Recruitment is better, 2 said External, while 33
responded that it depends on the Post which is to be filled. The
above chart depicts that majority of the respondents opine that the
source of Recruitment should be decided according to the job in
question.
6. Rank the qualities in order of your preference on the basis
which you select candidates
OPTIONS NO. OF % OF
RESPONDENTS RESPONDENTS
QUALIFICATION 5 10

EXPERIENCE 20 40

SKILLS 10 20

PERSONALITY 5 10

DEPENDS ON JOB 10 20

PREFERENTIAL QUALITIES TO GET

RECRUITED

2% 1%
QUALIFICATION
1% EXPERIENC
4% SKILL
2% PERSONALTY
DEPENDO JOB

INTERPRETATION:

Employees were asked about their preferences, which they would

have considered if they had given the opportunity to select the
candidates. Out of 50, 5 said qualification, 20 said experience, 10 said
skills, and 5 said personality and the rest 10 responded that it would
depend on the job. Hence, the above chart depicts that different people
have different preferences but the majority goes with the experience
which one has gained over a period of time, being in job.
7. Does HUL ask the candidates to enter into BONDS with them?

OPTIONS NO. OF RESPONDENTS % OF RESPONDENTS

YES 0 0
NO 50 100

TO ENTER INTO BONDS

100
100
90
80
70
60 50
50
40 YES
30 NO
20
10

NO. OF
RESPONDENTS % OF
RESPONDENTS

INTERPRETATION:

Employees were asked whether HUL pressurize them to enter into

bonds with the company or not. All the 50 responded that company
does not indulge in these kinds of protocol which can make the
employees uncomfortable about their career. The above chart depicts
the same, that all of them agree on the point that the company do not
believe in bonds.
8. Is the estimation of Recruitment Process cost is done?

OPTIONS NO. OF RESPONDENTS % OF RESPONDENTS

YES 40 80
NO 0 0
NEUTRAL 10 20

ESTIMATION OF RECRUITMENTS
PROCESS COST

80
80
70
60 YES
50 40 20 NO
40 10 NEUTRAL
30
NEUTRAL
20
NO
10
YES
NO.OF % OF
RESPONDENTS RESPONDENT

INTERPRETATION:

Employees were asked if the company estimates the Recruitment Process

Cost. Out of 50, 40 responded that the company does estimate the process
cost,
10 were neutral on this question but none said ‘NO’. The above chart
depicts that majority of them agrees with the point that the company
estimate the Recruitment Process Cost.
9. Which internal or external source of recruitment is followed by the company?

EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE CAMPUS INTERVIEW

ADVERTISEMENT PROMOTION
TRAINING

SL.NO OPTIONS IN NUMBER IN PERCENTAGE

1 Employment exchange 0 -
2 Campus interview 6 30%
3 Advertisement 10 50%
4 Promotion 2 10%
5 Training 2 10%

INTERPRETATION

▪ 30% of the employees said that recruitment is made through campus

interview ▪ 50% of the employees said that recruitment is made through
advertisement.
▪ 10% of the employees said that recruitment is made through promotion.
▪ 10% of the employees said that recruitment is made through training.
 10. Recruitment is made according to ……………………….

ANY
IMMEDIATE NEED YEARLY WISE BOTH
OTHER

SL.NO OPTIONS IN NUMBER IN PERCENTAGE

1 Immediate need 11 55%
2 Yearly wise 2 10%
3 Both 5 25%
4 Any other 2 10%

INTERPRETATION
▪ 55% of the employees said that recruitment is made according to immediate
need.
▪ 10% of the employees said that recruitment is made according to Yearly wise
need.
▪ 25% of the employees said that recruitment is made according to both the
needs.
▪ 10% of the employees said that recruitment is made according to any other
need.
EMPLOYMENT ANALYSIS OF HINDUSTAN
UNILEVER LIMITED

The satisfaction in a job or work would be depending on

many factors like remuneration, work conditions,
growth prospects, support for employees and other related
factors. One of the most important such factors as found
from the result of much research conducted in this domain
is, Work Life Balance (WLB).Work Life balance is about
employees having measure of control over when, where and
how employees work. A balanced life is one where
employees are able to spread their energy, time and efforts
in the emotional, intellectual, imaginative, spiritual &
physical facets of life. It has been proved beyond doubt that
a company capable of addressing work life balance needs,
in addition to providing great career opportunities, is
successful in providing job satisfaction to the employees.
This study has been carried out among the Hindustan Lever
Limited, Trivandrum division employees. The study looks
into the awareness of employees about the Work Life
Balance policies of HLL, to determine its effectiveness in
implementation, to determine if there is proper balance
between Work and personal lives of employees and to
suggest strategies for improvement. The organization is
recognizing the importance of satisfying the employees and
retaining them. Further improvements can be made so that
all the employees are highly satisfied with the procedure.
The suggestions and recommendations when implemented
will still more benefit the organization. Fundamental to a
supportive and successful work-life culture is recognition
and respect for the responsibilities and commitments of all
employees outside work. In this context, assumptions and
expectations around gender and care are central. Should
highlight strong undercurrents of traditional values,
observing that the gender culture has proven particularly
resilient, with contradictory norms that support women’s
increased employment participation, yet insist that mothers’
primary responsibilities are to their families. This norm can
be described as the expectation and cultural assumption that
workers are willing and able to prioritize work over other
life activities and commitments such as care for children or
elders. For work-life policies to be truly effective they must
be accepted and integrated into the Mainstream for all
workers – not simply as a special consideration for working
mothers. Multifaceted policy approaches are needed that set
the foundation for change. More inclusive employment
regulation, better quality part-time work and a greater
policy focus on men’s uptake of flexible work are likely to
alleviate some of the burdens and causes of work-life
Conflict across industries – alongside cultural shifts in
workplace gender norms.
SWOT ANALYSIS OF HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LIMITED

SWOT Analysis of Unilever:

Strengths:
• Extensive distribution network in Deep rural geographies.
• An Innovative FMCG company.
• High brand recall among consumers.
• Products with a presence in over 20+ consumer categories.
• Quality of Human Resources.

Weakness:
• A High number of portfolios makes it difficult to focus.
• Slow to pivot and less agile compared to startups.
• Portfolio of Oral care & deodorant segment losing market share.

Opportunities:
• M&A to strengthen the brand.
• Increasing purchasing power of people thereby increasing demand.
• Rise of Internet economy via hyperlocals like BlinkIt, Zepto, Etc.
• Extraction from Modern Trade channels like Dmart, JioMart, etc.

Threats:
• Competition from D2C (Direct to consumer) startups like BSC, The Man Company,
Beardo, etc.
• Competition from new players like Patanjali & Joy.
• Private labels of Modern Trade such as Snac Atac from Jio, Tasty Treat from BigBazaar,
etc.
• Market Saturation.
 PESTLE ANALYSIS OF HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LIMITED

HUL (Hindustan Unilever) PESTLE Analysis assesses the brand on its business
tactics across various parameters. PESTLE Analysis of HUL (Hindustan Unilever)
examines the various external factors like political, economic, social, technological
(PEST) which impacts its business along with legal & environmental factors. The
PESTLE or PESTEL Analysis highlights the different extrinsic scenarios which
impact the business of the brand.
Let us start the HUL (Hindustan Unilever) PESTLE Analysis:
Political Factors:
Merging of HUL with Tata Oil Mills Company and Lakme helped Hindustan Unilever
to venture into new areas like cosmetics and food oil with the help of regulations of
India eventually helping them to expand into product and services. Hindustan
Unilever, later on merged with Kimberly Clark Corporation helping them to enter
Huggies diapers and Kotex Sanitary pads.
Economic Factors:
The whole world got hit with an economic crisis in 2009 but the Asian countries were
the ones which were least hit as their reliance was less based on interest
investments. When HUL was losing profits in most of the countries abroad it was still
earning profits in India.
Social Factors:
Social programs have been a way through which Hindustan Unilever has expanded
its customer base. Hindustan Unilever accepts that an association's value is
additionally in the administration it renders to the community. Cleanliness,
nourishment, upgrade of livelihood, a decrease of ozone-depleting substances and
water impression has been HUL’s focus since the beginning.
Technological Factors:
E-Commerce has been the new way for all companies, and so it has been the same
for HUL as well. Hindustan Unilever has been finding new ways to engage
customers and through its technological advancement, it has overcome this problem
of engagement by digitalization.
Legal Factors:
HUL ensures that it follows every local and national law in opts working and
selling. For example, in case of Gujarat, even after high rising prices of
production, Hindustan Unilever charged nominal in the times of drought
and floods in the state.
Environmental Factors:
Hindustan Unilever has been in news always for breaking natural laws and
dumping compounds which are harmful and have jeopardized lives of workers
and residents living around their factories. An episode which occurred at
Kodaikanal industrial facility, because of dumping and selling pieces of glass
material containing Mercury, HUL came into light and was blamed for the same.
 GROWTH SHARE MATRIX OR PRODUCT PORTFOLIO MATRIX

The matrix uses market growth rate and market share as the parameters for analysing the
portfolio of any organisation. Thus acting as a powerful portfolio management tool, it helps
the organisation to examine and allocate resources among its various units or products. The
project specifically demands the study of BCG matrix for Hindustan Unilever Limited
(HUL). HUL marked the initiation of marketing branded fast moving consumer goods
(FMCG). In 1931, Unilever set up its first Indian subsidiary, Hindustan Vanaspati
Manufacturing Company, followed by Lever Brothers India Limited (1933) and United
Traders Limited (1935). In November 1956, these three companies merged to form Hindustan
Unilever Limited (then known as Hindustan Lever Limited). Hindustan Unilever was recently
rated among the top four companies globally in the list of “Global Top Companies for
Leaders” by a study sponsored by Hewitt Associates, in partnership with Fortune magazine
and the RBL Group. The company was ranked number one in the Asia-Pacific region and in
India. The mission that inspires HUL's more than 15,000 employees, including over 1,300
managers, is to “add vitality to life". The company meets every day needs for nutrition,
hygiene, and personal care, with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more
out of life. It is a mission HUL shares with its parent company, Unilever, which holds about
52 % of the equity. HUL have an extremely wide market exposure with over 35 brands
spanning across 20 distinct categories such as soaps, detergents, shampoos, skin care,
toothpastes, deodorants, cosmetics, tea, coffee, packaged foods, ice cream, and water
purifiers. HUL’s brands -- like Lifebuoy, Lux, Surf Excel, Rin, Wheel, Fair & Lovely,
Sunsilk, Clinic, Close-up, Pepsodent, Lakme, Brooke Bond, Kissan, Knorr, Annapurna,
Kwality-Walls - are household names across the country and span many categories - soaps,
detergents, personal products, tea, Electronic copy available at:
http://ssrn.com/abstract=2124042 2 coffee, branded staples, ice cream and culinary products.
They are manufactured in over 35 factories, several of them in backward areas of the country.
The operations involve over 2,000 suppliers and associates. HUL's distribution network
covers 6.3 million retail outlets including direct reach to over 1 million.

The growth share matrix is to use the chart, analysts plot a scatter graph to rank
the business units (or products) on the basis of their relative market shares and
growth rates.

• Cash cows is where a company has high market share in a slow-growing

industry. These units typically generate cash in excess of the amount of cash
needed to maintain the business.

• Dogs ,more charitably called pets, are units with low market share in a
mature, slow growing industry. These units typically "break even", generating
barely enough cash to maintain the business's market share.

• Question marks (also known as problem children) are businesses operating

with a low market share in a high growth market. They are a starting point for
most businesses.
• Stars are units with a high market share in a fast-growing industry. They are
graduated question marks with a market or niche leading trajectory, for
example: amongst market share front-runners in a high-growth.
 WORK LIFE BALANCE OF HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LIMITED

Study discusses the initiatives taken by India’s largest Fast-Moving Consumer Goods
(FMCG) company, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), to enable its employees to strike the
right work-life balance. The case delves into details of HUL’s various Human Resource (HR)
policies and explains how each of the policies made the company’s employees execute both
work and personal responsibilities better. HUL’s initiatives to cater to the varied needs of its
women employees are explained in detail. The measures being taken by the company to keep
itself abreast of the changing needs of new-age employees are also mentioned. So, will HUL
continue to remain an ‘Employer of Choice’ and a ‘CEO Factory’ in India
“Extending Full Support to Working Parents,” www.hul.co.in, July 1, 2018. 2 Fast-moving
consumer goods are products that sell quickly at relatively low cost. These goods are also
called consumer packaged goods. FMCGs have a short shelf life because of high consumer
demand (e.g., soft drinks and confections) or because they are perishable (e.g., meat, dairy
products, and baked goods). 3 Hindustan Unilever Limited is an India-based global consumer
goods company. It was founded in 1933. It is a subsidiary of British multinational consumer
goods company, Unilever plc. Its products include foods, beverages, personal care products,
water purifiers, and other fast-moving consumer goods. In fiscal year 2020, Hindustan
Unilever Limited reported an investment value of about 15 bn (As of March 15, 2021, $1 =
72 approximately). 4 Domestic violence (also called domestic abuse or family violence) is
violence or other abuse in a domestic setting, such as in marriage or cohabitation.
 FINDINGS
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is one of the largest and most successful FMCG
companies in India. Here are some key findings about HUL based on information available
up until September 2021:
1. Market Leadership: HUL has maintained its market leadership in several product
categories, including soaps, detergents, skincare, hair care, and packaged tea. The company
holds a significant market share in these segments, allowing it to exert strong influence and
competitive advantage.
2. Strong Brand Portfolio: HUL boasts a robust brand portfolio comprising both global
and local brands. Some of its well-known brands include Lifebuoy, Lux, Dove, Pears, Surf
Excel, Rin, Wheel, Fair & Lovely, Sun silk, Clinic Plus, Pepsodent, Closeup, Brooke Bond,
Kissan, Knorr, and Lipton. These brands have a wide consumer base and enjoy high brand
loyalty.
3. Extensive Distribution Network: HUL has a vast and efficient distribution network
that reaches both urban and rural areas of India. The company has a strong presence across
the country, enabling its products to be easily accessible to consumers. HUL's distribution
system plays a crucial role in its market dominance and widespread availability.
4. Focus on Innovation: HUL emphasizes continuous innovation in its product offerings
to cater to evolving consumer needs and preferences. The company invests in research and
development (R&D) activities to develop new and improved products. HUL also focuses on
sustainability and has launched environmentally friendly initiatives and products, such as
water-saving laundry products and recyclable packaging.
5. Marketing and Advertising: HUL invests significantly in marketing and advertising to
create strong brand awareness and connect with consumers. The company employs various
marketing channels, including television, print media, digital advertising, social media, and
influencer collaborations, to reach its target audience effectively. HUL's marketing campaigns
often focus on emotional storytelling and highlighting the functional benefits of its products.
6. Strong Corporate Governance: HUL follows robust corporate governance practices
and has been recognized for its ethical business conduct. The company has implemented
responsible sourcing practices and environmentally sustainable initiatives. HUL's
commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is evident through its social welfare
programs, including initiatives related to health, hygiene, education, and rural development.
Please note that the information provided here is based on data available up until September
2021. For the most up-to-date and detailed information on HUL, I recommend referring to
their official website, annual reports, press releases, and other reliable sources.
 CONCLUSION AND
RECOMMENDATIONS

CONCLUSION

The Human Resource policies followed by HUL are quite effective and attractive. The
company’s sources of recruitment are very effective. The main source of recruitment
is employee reference. The employees are rewarded to encourage this type of
recruitment. Also the existing employee is well informed about the company’s
requirement and the candidate’s expectations, so the candidate referred is usually
suitable for the job. Recruitment is a never ending process in an organization.
Selecting the qualified, skilled and competitive candidate is one of the main objectives
of the company.

The excellent pattern of interview is followed in case of the selection process.

Candidates are selected after they undergo a vigorous selection process. No
compromise is made during the selection of an employee for the organization.

HUL also uses campus placement as a source of recruitment.

Other various HR policies followed by HUL include Sankalp Volunteering Initiative, rural
program for managers among the others.

• The study has confirmed that the company is having a clearly stated Recruitment
system.
• The study states that the company believes in hiring quality people.

• The company relies majorly on the consultants for headhunting.

• The study shows that all the employees are fully satisfied as it believes in Internal
Source of Recruitment, i.e. transfers and promotions.
 • The study shows that, according to the employees, the better source of
Recruitment is dependent on the post which is to be filled.

• The employees give more importance to the experience to get selected.

• The study shows that the company does not ask anyone to enter into Bonds with
them.

• The study shows that the company estimates the Recruitment Process Cost.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The study proved that HUL has an effective Human Resource Department which meets all
the manpower requirements of the company.

• The company can go for other sources of recruitment available other than
employee reference and campus placement in order to get more talented and
competitive employees.

• Some changes can be implemented in the recruitment policies as it stands as an

obstacle for recruiting talented candidates.
• Intelligence tests and other such tests should be included in the selection process
to test the knowledge and problem handling ability of the candidates.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

BOOKS

• V.S.P. RAO; Human Resource Management Edition-II Published S. Chand

• NCERT Business Studies part-1 for class 12

WEBSITES

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_resource_management
• www.humanresourceexcellence.com/importance-of-human-resource-
management
• smallbusiness.chron.com/key-human-resource-management-policies-
procedures60802.html

• hrdictionaryblog.com/2012/10/28/evolution-of-human-
resourcemanagement/comment- page-1

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindustan_Unilever
 ANNEXURE

Please tick ( ) the appropriate block of your options for the

questionnaire given below.

1) What is your level of familiarity with Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) and its products?
a. Very familiar
b. Somewhat familiar
c. Not familiar at all

2) Have you purchased any products from Hindustan Unilever Ltd in the past?
a. Yes
b. No

3) If you have purchased HUL products, what factors influenced your decision? (Select
all that apply)
a. Brand reputation
b. Product quality
c. Price
d. Packaging and design
e. Advertising and marketing campaigns
f. Recommendations from others
g. Other (please specify)

4) How often do you come across Hindustan Unilever Ltd's marketing campaigns (e.g.,
TV commercials, online ads, social media promotions)?
a. Very often
b. Occasionally
c. Rarely
d. Never

5) Which marketing channels do you find most effective in promoting Hindustan

Unilever Ltd's products? (Select all that apply)
a. Television
b. Online advertisements
c. Social media platforms
d. Print media (newspapers, magazines)
e. Outdoor billboards
f. Influencer marketing
 g. Other (please specify)

6) Are you aware of any specific marketing campaigns or initiatives by Hindustan

Unilever Ltd that have caught your attention? If yes, please describe briefly.

7) Do you think Hindustan Unilever Ltd effectively communicates the benefits and
features of its products through its marketing efforts?
a. Yes, definitely
b. Somewhat
c. Not really
d. Not sure

8) In your opinion, what are the key strengths of Hindustan Unilever Ltd marketing
strategies?

9) Are there any areas where you think Hindustan Unilever Ltd marketing strategies
could be improved? If yes, please provide suggestions.

10) How likely are you to recommend Hindustan Unilever Ltd products to others based
on their marketing efforts?
a. Very likely
b. Somewhat likely
c. Neutral
d. Somewhat unlikely
e. Very unlikely

11) Would you be interested in receiving updates about new products, promotions, or
offers from Hindustan Unilever Ltd?
a. Yes, definitely
b. Maybe