Corporate Governance and Accountability in Unilever: A Detailed Report

This report investigates the critical role of corporate governance in eliminating customer issues by strengthening accountability, using Unilever as a case study. The introduction outlines the research background, rationale, aims, objectives, and research questions. The literature review explores the benefits of corporate governance, the significance of accountability in customer service, the importance of corporate governance in addressing customer issues, and ways to enhance accountability. The methodology section details the research design, philosophy, methods, and strategy employed, including primary and secondary research approaches. The critical review of results synthesizes findings from both primary and secondary research, followed by recommendations and a conclusion summarizing the key insights. The report emphasizes the importance of corporate governance in fostering transparency, protecting customer rights, and ensuring ethical business practices, ultimately contributing to improved customer satisfaction and organizational success. The report also provides a comprehensive overview of the company's governance structure and its impact on customer relations.

Report: Individual 6000 word written report with
action plan
(Summative)

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Background of Research..............................................................................................................3
Rationale of research...................................................................................................................3
Aim..............................................................................................................................................4
Objectives....................................................................................................................................4
Questions.....................................................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................5
Benefits of corporate governance in context to organisation......................................................5
Significance of accountability in providing services to customers.............................................5
Importance of corporate governance in eliminating issues of customers....................................6
Ways for improving the accountability in corporate governance................................................7
METHODOLOGY..........................................................................................................................8
CRITICAL REVIEW OF RESULTS OF SECONDARY AND PRIMARY RESEARCH..........11
Primary research........................................................................................................................11
Secondary Research...................................................................................................................23
Recommendation...........................................................................................................................24
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................25
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................26

TITLE: Importance of corporate governance in eliminating issues of customers through
strengthening accountability.
INTRODUCTION
Background of Research
Corporate governance is explained as system of the policies, practices and rules that
dictate how board of directors of company manage as well as oversees company operations. It is
system through which firms are directed and controlled. Objective of the corporate governance is
to increase the value of shareholder and also protect other stakeholders interests through
improving accountability. Good corporate governance is important to enable firms operate
effectively, improve capital access, safeguard stakeholders and mitigate risks. This makes firms
transparent as well as accountable to the investors to reduce expropriation for shareholders.
Accountability is assurance that a person or company will be examined on behaviour or
performance concerned to something for which they are responsible (Barakat, Pérez and Ariza,
2015). In context to this, corporate accountability consisting answerable to all stakeholders of
company for all the actions as well as results. Unilever is British Dutch multinational consumer
goods and its headquarter is in London. The products of Unilever are candy, soft drinks, ice
cream, food, cleaning agents, bottled water, consumer healthcare products, personal care and
others. Unilever company is subject to the requirements of corporate governance in Netherlands.
This firm keeps corporate governance arrangements under the review and its compliance with
needs are detailed within corporate governance.
Rationale of research
The current investigation is concerned with the importance of corporate governance in
eliminating issues of customers through strengthening accountability. The better corporate
governance assist in eliminating the issues faced through consumers in regards to accountability.
The present investigation is mainly conducted in personal and professional context. In the
personal context, researcher can enhance its understanding regarding corporate governance and
the issues faced by the customers from accountability. Other than this, in professional context,
knowledge and the research skills of an investigator enhanced as it provides the chance to
perform similar kind of investigation in future (Bhaduri and Selarka, 2016).

Aim
To identify the importance of corporate governance in eliminating issues of customers
through strengthening accountability. A study on Unilever.
Objectives
 To examine benefits of corporate governance in context to organisation.
 To determine significance of accountability in providing services to customers.
 To identify importance of corporate governance in eliminating issues of customers.
 To analyse ways for improving the accountability in corporate governance.
Questions
 What is the benefits of the corporate governance in context to organisation?
 What is significance of accountability in providing services to customers?
 Why corporate governance is important in eliminating issues of customers?
 What are the effective ways for improving the accountability in corporate governance?

LITERATURE REVIEW
Literature review is comprehensive summary of the previous investigation on specific
area. There has been secondary sources considered while doing the literature review such as
books, scholars, journals, articles and others. There has been viewpoints and opinions of
different authors considered and critical evaluate.
Benefits of corporate governance in context to organisation
According to opinion of Lakshna Rathod (2020), with support of the better compliance
culture, board of the directors can be benefit in multitude of the ways from the better corporate
governance practices. There are some benefit of the corporate governance in context to company
mention below:
Encouraging the positive behaviour- In this, having the delineated processes and
policies and board of directors who maintain compliance culture that supports to improved
results directly. This is imperative that all the board members should participate in culture and
assure the communication line with the management.
Minimising cost of capital- In this present environment, implementation of the better
governance practices can lead to minimise cost of capital of firm. Firm with the equity or debt
investors may search that investors pay premium work with firm that has he sound governance
framework (Font, Guix and Bonilla-Priego, 2016).
Improving top level decision- There is demonstrable connection among organisational
governance and the decision making related with the improved performance. Number of the
failure in performance have been linked directly with the poor governance. In regards to this,
there is no doubt that the better governance mainly assures the quick access to the information
and better communication between stakeholders which leads to the positive outcomes. In regards
to this, better governance enable the accurate as well as rapid prioritising actions. It can prove the
invaluable in enable company to weather the complex economic storms and also supports
sustainability of company.
Significance of accountability in providing services to customers
As per opinion of Douglas Hanna (2020) Accountability in the customer service is ability
of company to account for the actions as well as decisions of business. The accountability
eliminates efforts and time that spend on distracting the unproductive behaviour and distracting

activities. It is necessary to make the people accountable for actions which teaching effectively
them to value work. There is a requirement to develop the trust level for customer service
representatives. The people have to make the independent decision and these are based on team
spirit that shares the information and give feedback for the continual improvement. On the other
hand, this is easier to emphasize accountability with team but not easier to tell how accountable.
This is harder to make them accountable mainly business leaders are forget they are role model
for the accountability and do not audit own actions that assure that they practice what they
mainly preach (Kiliç, Kuzey and Uyar, 2015).
Importance of corporate governance in eliminating issues of customers
Zhe Zhang (2011) stated that an effective corporate governance helps to cultivate a
company's activities, leading to positive performance and sustainable business. It is a system of
rules, regulations and practices that tells a company's management team to manages and oversee
the operations of a company. The relationship between customer satisfaction and organisational
performance is best viewed from the perspective of an organisation. Corporate governance plays
important role for manages customers activities. It analyse the external factors like customers
demand, and manages operational activities related to customers products. The product should be
in proper and ethical way that can satisfied its customer. It manages customer related activities
and oversee the customers issues. A satisfied customers permits the organisation to move on the
pathway of growth, improved profitability. The board of directors has to protect the rights of the
customers through corporate governance. The sum total of all the mechanisms put in place by a
company to protect stakeholders (customers) rights. It consists with policies, regulations that
defines the management must deal with its customers and the remedies available to them in case
of a violation. Firms make a lot of efforts to ensure that there is transparency in their operations
and customers can consult them in case of their rights have been violated in any way. The
governance plays a central role that ensuring the customers rights are not abused. Customers are
basically concerned with the quality of the product and price of it. Corporate governance looking
for, right to be protected from all kind of hazardous goods and services, the right to be fully
informed about the performance and quality of product, right to be free choice, for its customers
and solved all the issues related to them (Matei and Drumasu, 2015).

Ways for improving the accountability in corporate governance
Jennifer Bridges (2020), stated that accountability is necessary measure of success of
staff members. This does not act as stick more that leads the people and assist them learn from
mistakes as well as accept part in project. There are different ways to improving accountability in
the corporate governance mention below:
Define the roles and responsibilities- Under this, team members are accountable for
what what they do not know they are supposed to be accountable. Hence, communicate clearly
which does what and get the concurrence and also feedback from team. It is necessary to take the
questions and assures that each one is on similar page (Rivera, Bigne and Curras-Perez, 2016).
Clarify report structure- In this, accountability requires structure. There should be
system in place to define who reports and authorise so that there is a clear channel to the
disseminate as well as report on work of people and accountability. In regards to this, field
questions from team to assure process of reporting is understood through all.
Give the particular deadlines- If tasks are the open ended and there can not be
accountability for missing the deadlined which do not exist. It is necessary to be clear as to when
task is due and may be set notifications for reminding the team members when the deadlines are
to be looming. In regards to this, feedback and answer related to any question team has about
process.
Assure timely information- The timely information result in the effective decision
making. In regards to this, senior management has to be give the information timely in order to
assure the proper direction and supervision. There us balance that requires to be attained among
important information and the unnecessary information. The interactions among the board and
managers are important to assuring that the adequate information is to be given to board. If the
board members request information then senior managers should be promptly respond to request
(Saeidi and et. al., 2015).

METHODOLOGY
Research methodology
Research methodology can be described as a research that helps in achieving favourable
outcome in future period of time. It is considered as a whole research that provides an idea
regarding procedure, techniques adopted for executing investigation (Humphries, 2017). The
research methodology includes design of research, research philosophy, data collection and so
on. It aid assistance in coordinating different activity related to research by analysing strategies
which is appropriate. The technique adopted in current investigation or research which is going
to be mentioned below:
Research Design
It is determined as a most important factor which is used for organising research in an
appropriate manner in order to achieve favourable outcome in future period of time. There is
different kind of resources such as exploratory, descriptive as well as experimental. In current
research, this investigation is used to make proper research in order to achieve favourable results
in future period of time.
Research philosophy
There are different types of research philosophy that is adopted by researcher for
organising the research. It is undertaken as the combination of beliefs and values which is
followed by the researcher at the time of conducting research for analysing gathering and
interpreting data regarding the topic. These are positivism as well as interpretivism research. The
current research interpretivism philosophy of research is selected for organising research in an
appropriate manner. The philosophy emphasized on various aspects related to research in order
to achieve favourable outcome in future period of time.
Research method and strategy:
Research strategy undertaken as the effective procedure in terms of collecting data with
the help of various research strategies. These strategies tend to undertake interviews survey
action research systematic review experimental Research and many more. All of these factors are
undertaken as effective and helpful but in terms of collecting primary and secondary data

regarding the effective role for the corporate governance for responsible execution in terms of
eliminating customer satisfaction problems with the help of systematic review survey that are
used by researcher (af Wåhlberg, 2017). For this the effective purpose of considering primary
data collection is to offer valid and relevant information. For secondary data collection
systematic literature review is used by the investigator as it leads to support for the collection of
detailed information.
Research choice:
Research choice undertaken as the prominent method of research that undertake
qualitative and quantitative research. It is useful for the researcher in effective collection of
theoretical and numerical information regarding the type of research. For prominent analysis and
Collection of data regarding the existing topic quantitative research is undertaken by the
researcher. The prominent reason behind the selection of quantitative research is that it leads to
facilitate the collection of effective and reliable information regarding the corporate governance
considering the role of executing responsibility in terms of eliminating the problems for
customer satisfaction. In addition to this qualitative research is not appropriate for organising the
investigation as it leads to take more time and require qualitative information.
Type of Investigation
There are various types of investigation which can be adopted by researcher named as
quantitative as well as qualitative. Quantitative research helps in conducting research by using
data as well as statistics. Qualitative data is totally depends upon observation. For current
research, both qualitative & quantitative data is taken. It helps investigator to conduct research
and achieve positive outcome in future period of time.
Research approach
The researcher focuses on different kind of approaches related to research which is
inductive as well as deductive. In current research, deductive research as it assists in analysing
data that is totally depends upon figure, statistical data regarding particular topic for achieving
favourable outcomes.
Data collection method

It is considered as a tool which is adopted in gathering data in an appropriate manner. In
assistance of this, there are two kinds of data collection method that is named as primary as well
as secondary data (Dodds and Hess, 2020). Primary data is considered as a gathering of
information or data and that is collected first time by investigator. There are different kinds of
method of gathering primary data named as interview, sampling, survey as well as many more.
Apart from this, secondary data signifies the information which is collected by researcher before
it earlier. There are various methods which are used for collecting the information from
secondary source such as books, papers, articles, online polls and so on. For current research,
secondary data is considered as a cost-effective method and help in collecting information in an
appropriate manner. In assistance of this, it is not easy to adopt primary data and gathered
information from individual person. Therefore the secondary data is the best method to conduct
the research and achieve positive outcome in future period of time.
Sampling:
Sampling undertake the process of selecting samples from the overall population. In regard
of this there are two forms of Sampling which is probability and nonprobability. Considering the
perspective of Investigation random sampling is relies under the probability which is used by
researcher for selecting 30 respondents. The main reason behind choosing random sampling is it
does not take much time and also provide effective result for the research.
Data analysis:
Data analysis undertake the reliable and effective procedure for identifying data. In terms of
identifying quantitative data regarding the existing topic frequency distribution analysis is
undertaken as the effective tool for stop this method is prominent as it leads to facilitate the
researcher for the realisation of information effectively with the help of tables and graphs.
Ethical consideration:
There are several essential and effective principles that should be followed by the researcher
in terms of conducting research over the prominent topic considering the role of corporate
governance for effective execution in terms of eliminating customer satisfaction problems
(Clandinin, Cave and Berendonk, 2017). For this the principles tends to reduce the risk of harm
also neglect deceptive practices offer prominent halides to their participants and many more.
With the help of these principles in the existing investigation researcher can prominently
complete the project under the effective ethical standards.