Unilever Egypt has launched the second generation of Erada, its pioneering inclusion initiative, reaffirming the company’s commitment to performance-driven diversity and empowerment for people with disabilities. What began in 2013 with just three visually impaired team members has now evolved into a high-performing unit of 46 individuals who contribute significantly to the company’s commercial success, and whose impact extends far beyond numbers.
The latest chapter of Erada welcomes Rawan and Bassant, two professionals using wheelchairs, to Unilever’s distribution teams in Cairo and Giza. Their arrival symbolizes expanded representation, while reflecting a deeper, more intentional form of inclusion rooted in capability, ambition, and shared purpose.
“At Unilever, we believe talent is everywhere, and when given the right conditions, it thrives,” said Cem Tarık Yüksel, Unilever General Manager for North Africa, Levant, and Iraq. “Erada – the Arabic word for will – is not about meeting quotas or fulfilling CSR targets. We want to unlock human potential across all functions at our premises and factories, because the world needs to see that resilience and high performance go hand in hand.”
“To us, Erada is a competitive advantage,” said Bahaa Farouk, Customer Development Director for Egypt and Sudan at Unilever Mashreq. “Our colleagues in Erada prove every day that what some see as a limitation can become a source of unmatched strength. Their resilience, focus, and drive are fueling market growth, strengthening customer relationships, and setting a new benchmark for performance in our sales teams. I’m deeply proud to see how far we’ve come and excited for the impact this next chapter will bring to our customers and our business.”
Born from Purpose
“For me, blindness in the eyes is brightness in the heart,” said Ahmed Fawzy, Director of Unilever’s Erada Program, a visually impaired Unilever employee based in Egypt. Ahmed joined Unilever in 2003, and by 2008 his sight had deteriorated to the point where he could hardly see his computer screen. Determined not to let his partial blindness affect his career, Ahmed worked closely with Unilever’s IT team to enhance software that converted text to audio, which was a move that would plant the seeds of what would become Erada.
Over the last 12 years, Erada has changed the way Unilever thinks about talent, leadership, and operational excellence, as Erada employees achieved triple growth and contribute meaningfully to Unilever Egypt’s Health & Beauty direct coverage. The team is built on capability and high performance, consistently delivering results, competing at pace, and outperforming expectations. Today, 25% of Unilever’s pharmacy customers are served through closed-screen systems operated by Erada members.
Today, the Erada team significantly contributes to Unilever Egypt’s Health & direct coverage, growing at a compound annual rate of 63%, showcasing the strength of its model.
Performance with Purpose
In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, traditional distribution channels were shut down across the country. But the Erada team didn’t stop. They sustained operations and went on to double their business that year, cementing their role as an indispensable engine of resilience, impact, and commercial success.
Going beyond symbolic inclusion, Erada employees work under the same KPIs as their peers in the sales department, with equal responsibilities and performance expectations. For Unilever, true inclusion means changing the mindset within the company and in the broader community, while achieving real business impact, beyond meeting the 5% employment quota mandated by law.
Besides the numbers, Unilever’s inclusive approach is embedded in its recruitment, training, and team integration processes. Every Erada participant undergoes a 21-day hybrid training programme, including product knowledge, selling and negotiation skills, computer skills, and use of tailored software developed specifically for visually impaired employees. The training ensures they are fully integrated and empowered to manage CRM tools, process orders, and build customer relationships.
Inspiring a Movement
With the expansion of Erada to include individuals with reduced mobility and other disabilities, the initiative signals a broader invitation to Egypt’s business community to shift from awareness to action, and from representation to performance. Erada is a living case study of how inclusive employment can drive sustainable, measurable business success.
