I saw in the news recently that British firm Unilever is going to allow its 3000 Russian workers to be conscripted by the Russian State.
The article has something of a critical-leaning tone saying this is in spite of it condemning the Russian invasion and having a duty to protect the health and well-being of its workers.
Unilever's get out clause is that it is legally obliged to comply with the law of any nation state, hence it has to allow conscription.
The thing is the company is still making a substantial profit in Russia, supplying mainly cosmetic goods and ice cream, to the tune of having paid a massive £33 million in tax to the Russian state in 2022.
That's enough to pay for around 10 T4 Armata tanks. Admittedly only a drop in the ocean given that Russia has lost over 2000 tanks since the war began, but a contribution nonetheless.
And this is while the West puts sanctions on Russia.
Empty condemnation
I'm afraid Unilever condemning the war and claiming it has a health and well-being duty to its workers is just plain bullshit.
With a company like Unilever, it really is a case of money talks, and any statements about ethics are just white-wash.
It's always been this way with this company...
It has one of the worst records on animal testing, as well as all of the following red flags according to ethical consumer
- environmental reporting
- habitats & resources
- palm oil, pollution and toxics
- human rights
- workers' rights
- supply chain management
- irresponsible marketing
- factory farming
- anti-social finance
- controversial technologies
- political activities.
So it basically doesn't give a shit about the impacts of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, it's interested in its bottom line and ethics are almost nowhere on the radar!