ATUMA & former employees vs. Unilever (handled by NCP UK)

Date filed

16 June 2025

Keywords

Countries of harm

Congo, The Democratic Republic of the

Current status

Filed

Sector

Agriculture & Food

NCP

NCP United Kingdom

Allegations

On 12 April 2018, a group of former workers of Unilever-Marsavco in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) filed a complaint with the Dutch NCP and UK NCP. On 26 April 2018, the Dutch NCP accepted the complaint for further consideration and stated that it will lead review of the case, working in coordination with the UK NCP. On 7 May 2024, the complaint to the Dutch NCP was concluded without an agreement.

On 16 June 2025, ATUMA filed a new complaint to the UK NCP.

The complaint by ATUMA (Association des Ex-Travailleurs Unilever Marsavco/PHC au Congo) alleges that in 2001, Unilever-Marsavco unjustifiably dismissed 802 employees and then failed to provide them a complete legal severance package, including full final salary and bonus as well as allowances for housing, transportation, food, and dependents, and other benefits. In 2002, 686 of the workers raised a complaint with the Congolese General Inspector for Labour to recover their unpaid severance packages. The complaint was brought to the attention of Congolese authorities at various levels (Judiciary, ministries, and the Office of the President of the Republic). Since the early 2000s, ATUMA asserts that several judicial and administrative rulings have supported the workers’ claim for compensation.

According to ATUMA, in order to settle the dispute, Unilever PLC made at least one transfer of $10 million USD to Marsavco, then a fully owned subsidiary of Unilever, over the past decade for the compensation of the group of former workers. ATUMA asserts that Unilever has failed to monitor the financial transactions to ensure the monies are actually paid to workers. As a result, none have been paid, possibly due to misappropriation by the receiver. The value of the compensation in terms of money owed to workers is estimated by the DRC Labour Inspectorate and courts to total more than $45 million USD.

ATUMA’s complaint asserts that Unilever has violated several provisions of the OECD Guidelines, local laws in the DRC, and its own labour agreement and social charter. Again, ATUMA calls for Unilever to investigate the situation and pay compensation to workers again, this time ensuring payments actually reach those to whom they are due. ATUMA calls for the CEO of Unilever to directly engage in the NCP process and the negotiation. ATUMA asserts the CEO has done so in other disputes with former employees in other countries to assist the parties to achieve a fair outcome.