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AGE NOTWITHSTANDING, UAC IS AUDACIOUS AND COMPELLING
August 13, 2007

UAC, last week, unveiled a new corporate identity and its new social intervention initiative tagged the “Goodness League”. Larry Ettah, Group Managing Director/CEO, speaking in First Person with O'Lekan Babatunde says the ‘refreshed globe logo' is fun, optimistic and youthful despite the age of the conglomerate, which depicts a more agile and entrepreneurial organisation that is audacious, compelling and muscular.

Why the rebirth?

The rebirth is basically in line with our new thrust which is to show that UAC itself is being reinvigorated, UAC is engaging a lot more in terms of customer service, it is engaging a lot more in terms of innovation and UAC primarily is going to be a lot more focused organisation, a more agile organisation and more entrepreneurial organisation.

Rational...

UAC's rebranding is underpinned by a focus on a portfolio of food centric consumer business. And in consonance with our drive for innovation, improved customer service, enhanced shareholder value creation and a development of an improved workforce, are all hallmarks of a new UAC.

The new logo portrays a new mandate which reflects a contemporary/modern organisation and is enriched with a foodcentric colour (an improvement on the old logo's use or red); a key departure from the new logo is the indication of ‘Since 1879' and date. UAC was first used by the founders of the company. The company's new pay-off is ‘… doing good'

Long Term Objectives?

Our'… doing good' credo has its long term objectives to include” to make the new UAC Goodness platform meaning through credible intervention scheme that tackles social problems and provides an umbrella synergy for all of UAC's CSR activities. It is also intended to bring fresh perspective to and set a new example for corporate intervention by providing purpose and meaning through corporate social leadership. Such a role, is integral to UAC's approach to corporate citizenship because, we have supportive values and culture that are enablers to exercising the needed leadership

Social Intervention...

Throughout the entire world, the table is turning everyday in favour of he consumer human/social issues in business, UAC could not afford to play the game in the same old way and not expect the same old results.

Therefore, our focus on ‘Goodness League'. To achieve optimum benefits, the league shall concentrate on one key issue at a time. Such an issue shall be great need and value to the society. Education has been chosen as the main thrust of he League's activities.

Walking the Talk

UAC's interventionist programme in the public educational sector has led to the provision of support dynasties of poverty, which unfortunately, have unintended consequences as we, in allowing the public education system to collapse, now have different tracks for the poor and the rich from nursery schools right to the Universities in the name of private institutions.

Education as the Route

Education is paramount if we are looking at addressing the issue of poverty in this country. It is therefore important we look at education; it is education that will allow the children of the poor escape poverty because through education, they will be resolved and have the sills to take on new jobs and new opportunities in the future.

Through education, we'll be ale to address the issue of corruption in our country because people will be able to distinguish between enlightened self interest and naked self interest. Through education, it will be possible for us to address the health issues in our country. This is true because some of the health problems we have is actually problems of ignorance, if we have education, then we will be able to improve health to the extent that we will be talking about effective health system for our citizenry.

Aside from education, issue of wellness, issues of health will be tackled. That is why we are involving ourselves and looking at our public education system which is currently in a state of decay. And as an organisation, we are saying, how can we intervene? To ensure that public education becomes what it should to be.

Why the Legacy Schools

Just like our company, we have chosen schools with history that have produced the nation's greats and ‘good' to work with them and help these heritage institutions to still remain bastions of the good education for he average Nigerian child who cannot afford the new ivy league intuitions which the privilege attend.