The Philippines continues to rank among the world’s leaders in gender equality, according to the Grant Thornton Women in Business 2026 report. But while Filipinas have maintained a significant representation in management and workforce participation, many still face challenges in areas of caregiving expectations and barriers in leadership access and STEM fields. This situation highlights the opportunity for companies across evolving sectors, including FMCG, to lay a strong foundation for more inclusive and equitable environments.
At Unilever Philippines, this commitment is brought to life through intentional and structural change, guided by progressive policies and deliberate programs that champion inclusion, support career growth, and create spaces where women can thrive. For National Women’s Month, the company celebrates how women thrive in the workplace and beyond when organizations truly listen, recognize their challenges, and invest in their potential.
Women at the Heart of the Workforce
Women represent more than half of Unilever Philippines’ workforce, with around 660 female employees serving across leadership, supply chain, field sales, and other historically male-dominated functions. This diversity is proof that the company’s commitment to inclusion is not just a policy, but a long-term practice essential to business resilience and people’s success and well-being.
Supporting this commitment are industry-leading benefits designed to support women at every life stage. As early as 2017, Unilever Philippines began strengthening its maternity policy with the expanded 120-day fully paid leave that surpassed legal requirements. Today, this has been further enhanced to 150 days, with additional optional flexibility. Complementing this employee care are simple but meaningful workplace resources. There are available feminine hygiene products in restrooms, as well as on-site daycare centers and nursing facilities to help working parents balance career and family with greater ease.
These initiatives are rooted in the company’s Filipino value of “malasakit” – a deep, genuine care that recognizes diverse family structures and individual needs, ensuring that they have access to equitable healthcare and life-building benefits.
“True inclusion happens when companies move beyond policies and actively create environments where women feel seen, supported, and empowered to lead,” shares Geeta Royyuru, Unilever Philippines HR Head and B&W SEA HR Lead. “At Unilever, we are intentional to advance this commitment every step of the way – from promoting wellness and breaking barriers to creating more opportunities for the next generation of female leaders.”
Zophia Nicolas: Creating Pathways in Manufacturing
Zophia Nicolas, Sourcing Unit Manager, Unilever Philippines
Zophia Nicolas represents the growing number of women in manufacturing. Her journey reflects how strong, welcoming mentorship can unlock opportunities for women.
Now a Sourcing Unit Manager, Zophia built her career at Unilever across multiple functions. She began as an intern before officially joining the company through the Unilever Future Leaders Program, taking on roles in planning, customer development, and factory operations, eventually leading a major production facility. While manufacturing has traditionally been associated with a predominantly male workforce, Zophia shares that she has always felt respected and supported. She credits Unilever’s strong culture of mentorship, empowerment, and equity for inspiring more women like her to follow and step up in places where they believe they belong.
Zophia’s message is simple but powerful. “Bring your best self, take your seat at the table, and know that there is space for you to lead; because when women lead, they make space for others to follow,” she said.
Karen King: Empowering Women Beyond the Workplace
Linis Ganda is one of the partners of Unilever Philippines’ Misis Walastik program. Located in Quezon City, it is the country’s widest junkshop network, with a total representation of 109 women.
Beyond its workforce, Unilever Philippines also supports women in communities it serves through environmental and livelihood-building programs.
Through the company’s long-running flexible plastic waste collection program, Misis Walastik, women earn additional income from plastic waste collection, while helping keep plastic pollution away from the environment. Such is the case for Karen King, a housewife and mother of three, who works as an eco-aide or waste picker in the program’s partner Linis Ganda network, while also part-time running a small food business selling kakanin and merienda.
For four years, Misis Walastik has become both a source of livelihood and purpose for Karen and other mothers. It is initiatives like this that help redistribute opportunities for women to take on both caregiving and income-earning roles.
The Kabisig Summit is a vital contributor to Unilever’s refreshed sustainability agenda for the ‘livelihoods’ pillar. Since its launch in 2016, it has upskilled hundreds of thousands of sari-sari store owners in the country as part of the company’s 2026 goal to support 2.5 million SMEs globally.
Unilever Philippines also recognizes the critical role women play in driving local livelihoods. Through initiatives such as GentriAsenso for General Trias residents and the Kabisig Summit for sari-sari store owners nationwide, the company equips communities with training in skills development, financial literacy, and digital tools to grow their businesses. For over a decade, Kabisig Summit has championed women‑led sari‑sari stores, with women making up 89% of our Kabisig partners and 30,502 women trained to build more resilient businesses.
Through these efforts, Unilever Philippines continues to build an ecosystem where women are empowered not only to succeed but to lead, whether at work, at home, or in their communities.
