Unilever Partners SupplierGATEWAY to Launch Social Procurement in Nigeria
L-R: Head Recruitment, Strategic Outsourcing Limited, Francesca Gabriel; Lead Strategist, So Media Solutions, Aramide Pearce; Managing Director, SupplierGATEWAY, Ade Solaru; Founder/CEO U-Connect Human Resources and Gr8jobsng, Omon Odike; Managing Director, Unilever West Africa, Carl Cruz; Corporate Affairs and Sustainable Business Director, Unilever West Africa, Soromidayo George; Procurement Director, Unilever West Africa, Obinna Emenyonu; Finance/Project Director, Charlotte XpertSolutions Limited, Helen Ojei and HR Director Unilever West Africa, Ola Ehinmoro, at the launch of Unilever’s Procurement as a Force for Social Good in Partnership with SupplierGATEWAY, WIMBIZ, UN Global Compact Network and Nigeria Business Disability Network (NBDN) in Lagos.
In line with its vision of making sustainable living commonplace, Unilever Nigeria has partnered with SupplierGATEWAY to launch its social procurement initiative aimed at increasing investment on female and disability owned businesses in Nigeria.
SupplierGATEWAY is a provider of globally recognised Enhanced Digital Certification® (EDC) that ensures everyone, including women and people with disabilities are exposed to new opportunities to fly high in their business without any gender or disability barricade.
Speaking at the event, The Managing Director Unilever West Africa Carl Cruz said, “We are pleased to announce the launch of our Social Procurement in Unilever Nigeria as part of the global commitment to invest in diverse businesses worldwide. We class businesses as diverse if they are at least 51% owned, managed, and controlled by groups underrepresented in business, such as women, people with disabilities, ethnic and racial or other minority groups.”
Speaking further, he said that Unilever is collaborating with SupplierGATEWAY to provide Enhanced Digital Certification to Nigeria’s diverse business owners. “SupplierGATEWAY will aid in the certification of businesses owned by women and people with disabilities in Nigeria. This is part of our Equity Diversity and Inclusion journey to contribute to a fairer, and more socially inclusive world. We are also pleased to have WIMBIZ, United Nations Global Compact Nigeria Network and Nigeria Business Disability Network as our support partners on this initiative.” He said.
- CEO of SupplierGATEWAY, Ade Solaru, commended Unilever for its support and vision on sustainability to make positive socioeconomic impact through this initiative.
“Unilever’s vision has enabled to us to deliver on our equity, diversity, and inclusion objectives by engaging with more diverse suppliers than ever before. Unilever is actively improving their capabilities in delivering on their corporate objectives.”
On Unilever Nigeria’s resolve to empower women and people with disabilities, the Procurement Director, Obinna Emenyonu said the company will continue to take deliberate steps to ensure its supply chain is more diverse and inclusive.
- Through this initiative, we want to break the biases against women and people with disabilities in business. These biases are stopping them from maximizing their full potential,” said Obinna.
Various speakers at the panel discussion session during the event applauded Unilever and SupplierGATEWAY for this initiative aimed at ensuring the inclusion of females and people with disabilities owned or led businesses in their supply chain. They described this as a major game-changer in Nigeria’s business ecosystem.
Many guests graced the occasion, including Head Recruitment, Strategic Outsourcing Limited, Francesca Gabriel; Lead Strategist, So Media Solutions, Aramide Pearce; Founder/CEO U-Connect Human Resources and Gr8jobsng, Omon Odike; Finance/Project Director, Charlotte XpertSolutions Limited, Helen Ojei and the Senior Manager, UN Global Compact Network Nigeria Tumi Onamade.
