Unilever CEO Paul Polman to meet PM Modi, discuss partnering in social initiatives

MUMBAI |NEW DELHI: Unilever chief executive Paul Polman is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and will discuss how the Anglo-Dutch multinational could assist in the government's various social initiatives including Swachh Bharat mission.

Unilever can find common ground between global Sustainable Living Plan 2020 and Swachh Bharat, a mass agenda that aims to build more than 800 million toilets and modern sewage systems to make India free from open defecation and open drains.

Its Indian subsidiary Hindustan Unilever’s brands such as Lifebuoy, Domex and Pureit have already taken up issues in water, sanitation and hygiene areas by partnering various state government and NGOs.

By the end of 2015, Unilever has targeted to inculcate nearly one billion people with the habit of handwashing through a Lifebuoy campaign and help 25 million people gain improved access to a toilet through a campaign for toilet cleaner brand Domex. The company's water purifier brand Pureit, which was developed in India, has committed to provide 150 billion litres of safe drinking water.

After taking over as CEO in 2009, Polman has been urging his company to invest for the long term and championed a business model built on sustainability and healthy living.

JAIN, DAIMLER CEO MEET MODI Meanwhile, half a dozen CEOs from large global manufacturing firms and fund managers met Modi on Monday and promised to increase their investments into India in light of his government’s reform moves.

The delegation of CEOs, most of which hailed from Europe, included Deutsche Bank co-chairman and CEO Anshu Jain, Daimler AG chairman Dieter Zetsche, Heinrich Hiesinger, chairman of engineering player ThyssenKrupp and Kurt Bock, chairman of BASF.

Yngve Slyngstad, CEO of Oslobased pension fund manager, Norges Bank Investment Management, was also present at the meeting. Norges manages over $850 billion in assets. Jeffrey Jaensubhakij, president of Singapore-based GIC Asset Management that oversees $100 billion, also met the PM.

The CEOs “appreciated the economic reform initiatives of the PM and expressed intention to increase investments in India,” noted a PMO statement.