By Princewill Ekwujuru
Before now, businesses main thrust is to make profits, grow the business to an appreciable level and then make returns to the owners.

But today, that notion has changed, companies  now consider their base of operation as their immediate concern, when particularly it recognises the plight of the people living within its operating environment.

This concern was what Unilever Nigeria Plc demonstrated in Titito, a secluded village in Ado-Odo Otta Local Government Area in Ogun State when it constructed a borehole for the village with four water points, to safe them the  time of fetching from a 1953 dugged  well by youths of the village 57 years ago and a water tap constructed by the Rotary club that has packed up since three years back.

The commissioning of the borehole witnessed display of dancing and singing artistry by the cultural dance group of the village which sang in Egun language, and  interpretation by Mr. Abraham Whedohun, an elder in the village as meaning that  the community appreciates and  greatful to the gesture extended to them by the company.

Speaking, Mr. Thomas Boedinger, Managing Director of Unilever said that Unilever’s mission is to add Vitality to life, while he stated that the company does this through value addition in terms of its brands and community involvement which meet everyday needs for nutrition, hygiene and personal care.

He went on to say, “Unilever Nigeria’s leadership subscribes to the highest standards of corporate social responsibility as (CSR) as espoused in the company’s  CSR strategy. He pointed out however that the company’s CSR areas of focus therefore are hygiene, water, sustainable development, health and HIV/AIDS.

With the recently launched New Vision and The Compass which focuses on consumers, customers, employees and community, he assured that the interests of all the stakeholders in the company  will be better taken care of.
“The commissioning of this water facility is a concrete testimony to Unilever’s commitment to the welfare of it’s communities. Water is crucial in the existence and development of man and one cannot imagine living without water which is an important factor in determining human settlement.