Unilever, a multinational corporation, is the mastermind behind over 400 consumer goods brands that span from food and beverages to personal hygiene. With a global footprint across 190 countries and a workforce of 170,000 employees, the conglomerate has ventured into harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) for optimizing various facets of its operations.
Unilever, a global giant in consumer goods, has embraced AI and data analytics to reshape its operational landscape. In terms of portfolio management, the company has taken a data-driven approach, leveraging advanced analytics to evaluate their wide array of products. Their goal is twofold: to stay in tune with shifting consumer demands and to ensure streamlined product availability across various sales channels, all while creating space for innovative product opportunities.
Shifting the lens to recruitment, Unilever’s partnership with Pymetrics has birthed an inventive online platform. Here, potential recruits play games tailored to measure various skills and aptitudes. Those who progress past this phase undergo video interviews, which are subsequently scrutinized by machine learning algorithms to gauge fit and potential.
Finally, to aid new employees in their onboarding journey, Unilever introduced ‘Unabot’, an advanced NLP-based bot. This bot acts as an informative assistant, helping new hires understand the intricacies of company policies, day-to-day routines, and the overarching company culture.
Unilever has integrated advanced analytics into its operational strategy, specifically for SKU simplification. This approach aids in making insightful decisions about the continuity or discontinuation of specific products.
In the realm of recruitment, the company has implemented an AI-powered platform tailored to efficiently manage the overwhelming 1.8 million job applications they receive annually. This technological shift has resulted in a significant reduction of 70,000 person-hours, which were previously allocated for screening and assessment tasks.
On another front, Unilever introduced ‘Unabot’ in the Philippines, an interactive AI tool designed to respond to employee queries. Based on its success and learnings from initial user interactions, its deployment has been progressively extended to other regions.
Unilever has adopted a more agile and data-driven approach to SKU management, ensuring an optimized product presence on shelves. This move not only streamlines the inventory but also enhances the consumer experience.
In the recruitment domain, the company has revolutionized its process to be more efficient. Every applicant now receives insightful feedback, which not only enhances the candidate experience but also ensures a more accurate selection of potential hires.