Fact Check: Unilever is selling all of its shares in its struggling Ivory Coast unit, which employs some 160 people.
What We Know
Unilever, the British-Dutch multinational consumer goods company, is indeed selling all of its shares in its Ivory Coast unit, which employs approximately 160 people. This sale is being made to a local consortium led by the Société de Distribution de Toutes Marchandises Côte d’Ivoire (SDTM) due to declining revenues in the region (Reuters, VON). The transaction is expected to close by June 20, 2025, and it has raised concerns among employees regarding job security and severance pay, as the new owners will only take over Unilever’s domestic brand business, leaving the international brands uncertain (Reuters, News Minimalist).
Analysis
The claim that Unilever is selling its Ivory Coast unit is substantiated by multiple credible sources. Reports from Reuters and VON confirm that the company is divesting its shares in the struggling unit. The transaction is characterized as a share sale, which Unilever claims does not terminate the employees' contracts, although this assertion has been met with skepticism by local workers and union representatives (Reuters).
The reliability of these sources is high, as they are established news organizations with a track record of reporting on corporate matters. However, the situation is complex, as the sale has implications for the workers involved, particularly regarding severance pay and job security. The local union argues that Unilever is violating their collective bargaining agreement by not ensuring severance pay in the event of layoffs after the sale (VON). This highlights a potential disparity in how Unilever is treating its employees in different regions, as similar protections were granted to workers in Europe during recent corporate restructuring (Reuters).
Conclusion
The claim that "Unilever is selling all of its shares in its struggling Ivory Coast unit, which employs some 160 people" is True. The evidence from multiple reliable sources confirms that Unilever is indeed divesting its shares in this unit, which has raised significant concerns among the workforce regarding their future employment and rights under existing labor agreements.
