Unilever, STC sign MoU to supply brands to Govt. Depts.

Anuradha Kodagoda

Unilever Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka State Trading Corporation (STC), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) yesterday.

Under the MoU, Unilever has appointed the STC as the official service provider to supply the company’s brands to all government establishments.

The STC is a 100 per cent government owned institution and operates under the Ministry of Trade.

The STC procures goods for all government departments, institutions and ministries.

Unilever Sri Lanka markets a host of popular household brands such as Sunlight, Signal, Astra, Surf and Pears among others joined hands with the STC, the government’s leading trading establishment to form a partnership to serve public servants with everyday home and personal care and selected food brands.

“Today signifies another milestone for Unilever to sign an MoU between the STC, for the 70th year as we have started our business in Sri Lanka.

Currently, Unilever markets twenty-two well-known brands used by a large number of Sri Lankans and also 95 per cent of the products which we market in the country are local brands.

Our target for the next 70 years is to market and publicize these local brands by using the resources within the country and foreign resources as well while creating job opportunities in the country” said the Chairman of Unilever Sri Lanka, Amal Cabraal. “Currently there are 1,100 people who are directly employed in Unilever Sri Lanka, in manufacturing 95 per cent of local brands.

There is an indirect workforce such as suppliers, distributors and other service providers of 10,000 employees who are engaged in the business.

Unilever is one of the leading private sector contributors to government revenue, with taxes and duties. ‘To do well, by doing good’ is our philosophy. Therefore, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is also a key activity in our business.

Through this new partnership with STC we hope to offer very attractive prices for government sector employees while offering discount schemes and promotions too”, he said.

The tie-up between the two organizations will provide public sector employees a much sought benefit and service by making available Unilever’s range of everyday quality products at attractive prices.

“The government will also benefit by having all their orders channelled through a single organization, the State Trading Corporation, thereby ensuring efficiency, convenience and the best price.

Under the MoU, we are offering discounts extended by Unilever to state institutes and state employees thereby helping to reduce the cost-of-living,” said the Chairman, State Trading Corporation, Pradeep Gunewardene.