BT helps Unilever touch the lives of two billion people

BT has been awarded an extension, worth around an additional €173 million, to its outsourcing contract with Unilever. The new deal will see BT accelerating technology innovation in services such as unified communications, messaging, supply chain, wireless technology and agile working in over 100 countries over the next four years.

BT currently supports services across Unilever’s three operating regions. The scope of the service includes the design, management and operation of a secure fully integrated end-to-end IT networking infrastructure. BT is responsible for ensuring that the service helps enable Unilever to operate in all its markets, supporting its employees, consumers, customers, partners and suppliers. This service covers an increasingly integrated platform delivering data, voice, video and mobility services to around 1,000 sites.

The new contract further cements this truly global relationship providing services supporting Unilever’s quickening pace of innovation, building on joint investment and learning to deliver innovation into the future. The emphasis will be on leveraging BT’s global innovation and development capabilities with practitioners sharing their knowledge of people, processes and developing technologies. The contract will also continue to help Unilever deliver its new supply chain applications.

Jeff Kelly, CEO of BT Global Services, said: “We are delighted that Unilever has chosen to extend its contract with BT. They are one of our largest customers in an important market for us.

“Our primary goal is to be a world class partner to them and help and support them achieve their ambitious transformation and growth plans in the coming years. Our aim is to deliver outstanding customer service and provide innovative propositions that will help Unilever’s business improve efficiency, drive out costs and deliver market leading brands to their customers and consumers.”

Pascal Visée, Chief Enterprise Support Officer, Unilever, said: “Unilever products touch the lives of over two billion people every day and our ambition is to double our business whilst reducing environmental impact. BT is a trusted partner whose high quality and robust services can help us realise that ambition.”

The original contract, announced in November 2002 and worth around €1 billion was the first comprehensive global telecommunications outsource contract ever undertaken by BT and is one of BT’s largest global deals. By working in partnership, BT and Unilever are in the process of transforming Unilever’s infrastructure into one of the most modern corporate networks in the world. When the original contract was signed it was one of the largest telecommunications outsourcing contract in UK corporate history.