MUMBAI: Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has been ranked third in 2014 Global Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders survey.
HUL is the only Indian company that has been ranked in the ‘global top 10’ consistently since the ‘Top Companies for Leaders’ global survey was first launched in 2007. HUL’s ranking of number three globally this year is the highest ever ranking for any Indian company in the survey. HUL was ranked number one in the Top Companies for Leaders 2014 survey done by Aon Hewitt in India.
HUL CEO and MD Sanjiv Mehta said, "It is extremely satisfying to be recognised as number one in India and number three globally among other esteemed organisations. This recognition is also special as it comes at a time when we enter the 60th year of our Unilever Future Leaders Programme (UFLP), a flagship programme which has over the years groomed brightest young minds within HUL into business leaders.”
“At HUL we believe in inculcating a 'Leaders build Leaders' mindset and are committed to honing business and leadership acumen through a strong learning curriculum. Building thought leaders and leadership capability is an integral part of our talent principles and is a well articulated philosophy that we have been following for decades,” he added.
HUL is well-known for its talent pool and as a source of leadership talent. Not only does HUL have formal processes for inculcating leadership, but it also provides a culture of coaching and mentoring at every level in the organisation. The approach of identifying and grooming top talent has established the company as a source of leadership talent, both for Unilever globally and the industry in general.
Over 200 managers of HUL currently serve Unilever globally. There are several senior HUL managers working in leadership roles across Unilever markets and functions.
The Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders study evaluates and recognises what it takes to execute best-in-class leadership and talent management around the world. This year's winners were selected and ranked by a panel of independent judges, including well-known experts from Wharton School of Business, Indian School of Business, PUC Minas and Ivey School of Business using a number of criteria, including strength of leadership practices and culture, examples of leader development on a global scale, alignment of business and leadership strategy, business performance and company reputation.
Aon Hewitt's analysis found that top companies shared five key characteristics in their leadership approach:
• Assessment. When it comes to building leaders, top companies assess the whole leader early in their careers. This includes evaluating leaders' experiences, competencies, values and organisational fit. This helps organisations understand the unique needs of their talent pipeline to fuel the right development solutions that move people forward faster.
• Awareness. Top companies have leaders who demonstrate tremendous self-awareness by understanding their personal strengths and weaknesses and using this information to become more effective leaders.
• Resilience. In today's unpredictable and complex environment, top companies build resilience in their leaders by creating inclusive cultures where multiple perspectives and ideas are expected and fostered to help the organisation meet continued business challenges.
• Engaging leadership. Organisations leading the way focus on identifying and building engaging leaders who are stabilisers, demonstrate versatility and stay connected to people and events inside and outside their organisation.
• Sustainability. Aon Hewitt Top Companies for Leaders focus on building talent programs nimble enough to respond quickly to market demands, yet sustainable to deliver superior business outcomes.
