Lending a helping hand to school governors
"Being a governor is hard work, but extremely rewarding – and it helps our own personal development too. It makes me feel proud to work for a company that shows such commitment to its values. Unilever devotes a lot of time and energy to the support of employees who get involved in education, thereby helping to develop employees of the future."
The network’s role
The Unilever Governors' Network provides our school governors with an annual conference, monthly briefings on emerging education issues, an email networking facility, and a handbook on how to be a school governor.
At the last annual conference – held in June 2007 – Unilever governors invited their respective school heads and chairs of their governing body. The guest speakers for the event were:
- Stephen Heppell, Professor and head of his own policy, research and practice policy
- Mick Brookes, General Secretary of the NAHT
- Estelle Morris Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Sunderland and Chair of Children's Workforce Development Council
- Christine Gilbert, her Majesty's Chief Inspector of education, children's services and skills
The Governors' Network harnesses the knowledge and experience of its members, providing school staff with support, advice and information. Specifically, the Network helps to design improvements strategies for implementation in schools.
What the members say
John Ripley works at Unilever's Corporate Centre at Blackfriars, London, where he leads the Finance function of our home & personal care division. Membership of the Unilever Governors’ Network has helped him in a number of ways. John highlights the excellent materials provided, together with the conference that allows members to listen to and interact with education leaders. "Above all, it shows tremendous and infectious commitment – and the confidence that we can make a difference in this 'other world'."
David Saunders is a company risk manager who works at our Kingston office. David explains that being a governor has helped him to develop leadership, management and interpersonal skills: "I have applied the lessons in my professional life to the benefit of both me and Unilever. My Unilever experience has in turn been valuable to me in my governor role, not least in terms of the encouragement to become a governor in the first place. The Network offers immense experience and support, as well as an opportunity to engage with senior national figures. I am proud to be part of the team."
