Hi everyone, my name’s Ben - and if you haven’t read my previous blogs, here’s a bit about me…
I’m an undergraduate studying Politics and International Relations at the University of Bath, currently completing my industrial placement at Unilever.
Today, I’m taking you behind the curtain to share a bit more about Unilever and what I get up to as a Communications IP within the Supply Chain, Operations, Legal and Finance communications team.
If you haven’t heard of Unilever, we’re a global consumer goods company whose products you probably use every day - from the Hellmann’s mayonnaise in your sandwich, to the Dove in your shower, to the Cif cleaning products in your cupboard. My favourite statistic? 3.4 billion people use Unilever products every day.
So where do I fit into such a vast, global organisation? My experience in communications has been the perfect blend of strategy, organisation and creative flair as we bring our functions’ strategy to life. Here are some of my highlights!
- Content Creation and Storytelling
From articles to interviews, storytelling is a learned art, and I’ve found turning our functions’ transformation journeys into clear and compelling narratives to be a deeply rewarding process.
A key part of my role involves creating engaging and high-quality content across internal channels such as Viva Engage, helping to cultivate the identity and sense of community within the functions I support – Global Business Services and Legal.
And of course, it wouldn’t be a true communications placement if I wasn’t making things look and sound good! From graphic design to video editing, I’ve really valued the opportunity to develop my creative skill set to make a wide variety of assets, from eye-catching event promotions to insightful leadership video clips.
- Town Halls and Beyond
Town Halls, alongside smaller leadership and team events, are a key pillar of our communications, and seeing these moments come together in real time is incredibly rewarding. From sending invitations to promotions, finalising PowerPoint decks and supporting delivery, there are so many skills to gain in event organisation. If the opportunity comes up to do something similar on your placement – get involved!
- Seeing the bigger picture
The new year didn’t just bring resolutions, it brought developed strategic priorities, not only for our functions, but for us in communications as we position ourselves to best demonstrate the business value of our functions. Being exposed to the process of strategy development and planning has been fascinating. I can’t wait to bring it all to life.
- And last but definitely not least: The Engine Room - Behind-the-Scenes Skills
From developing my own time management and prioritisation skills, to engaging effectively with stakeholders, the administrative and organisational elements of my placement have been key. From sorting distribution lists, to arranging meetings and beyond, I couldn’t encourage you more to roll up your sleeves and dive in with what makes global companies like Unilever tick!
An incredibly rewarding and enjoyable experience
I hope you’ve enjoyed this peek under the bonnet of life at Unilever, a journey which has offered me brilliant first-hand experience in comms, as well as broader insights into the rest of the company and consumer goods world. I’m incredibly grateful to be part of such a supportive team and such a globally impactful company.
Keep an eye out for my next blog, where I’ll be stepping away from the office to shine a light on what I get up to outside of work - from my experiences as an Officer Cadet in the University of London Officer Training Corps, to my role as an academic rep for the Politics Placements & SYA 25/26 cohort, and all the amazing day trips and weekend opportunities that life in London has to offer.
Till next time!
Respond
