Hindustan Unilever Limited And Genpact Launch Be.Seen To Scale Minority-Owned Businesses In India With an aim to advance diverse and sustainable sourcing, this initiative will enable minority businesses to be absorbed into the supply chains of large consumer goods companies including HUL
By Teena Jose
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Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) a fast moving consumer goods company, along with Genpact, a global professional services firm focused on delivering outcomes that transform businesses, today announced the launch of Be.Seen, an accelerator program to help scale businesses owned by minority and underrepresented groups in India. With an aim to advance diverse and sustainable sourcing, this initiative will enable minority businesses to be absorbed into the supply chains of large consumer goods companies including HUL.
"Be.Seen aims to create opportunities for diverse and underrepresented businesses to grow and become supply-chain-ready. Diversity in supply chains is a competitive advantage for any business and widens economic and social impact. HUL's partnership with Genpact will support minority-owned businesses while helping HUL advance towards its commitment of spending INR 2,000 crores annually with diverse businesses by 2025," said Ansu Archana, procurement director, beauty and wellbeing, Hindustan Unilever Limited.
Implemented by Sattva, a leading social impact research and advisory firm, Be.Seen is a program providing essential training and mentorship, including access to networks, knowledge, and resources to enterprises owned by under-represented and minority groups including women, persons with disabilities, members of scheduled castes or tribes, and transgender communities. The pilot phase of the program will enable shortlisted business owners to develop critical behavioral and technical skills over a period of six months, including advancing business and growth plans, pitching to investors, as well as fundraising activities. This program aligns with Unilever's wide-ranging set of commitments and actions to help build a more equitable and inclusive society by raising living standards across its value chain, creating opportunities through inclusivity, and preparing people for the future of work, according to an official statement by the company.
"Now more than ever, businesses are balancing the twin goals of profitable growth and sustainable operations. We believe that companies that make the right bets today will be the winners in the long term. At Genpact, we see ESG as a critical part of business transformation and are focusing on it internally and for our clients. We believe supplier diversity is a key lever for supply chain resiliency and ESG impact, and through this program, we look forward to helping build stronger companies and communities," said Katie Stein, chief strategy officer and global business leader, Enterprise Services and Analytics, Genpact.
