Unilever Plc
Action Planned
Unilever has refreshed its 'Stress and Mental Wellbeing Policy' and will communicate the updated Occupational Health referral process to all line managers. They will also roll out mandatory mental health training for all UK line managers in the coming months, including information on Occupational Health services, and simplify access to wellbeing support. (AI summary)
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Dear HM Area Coroner Response to Prevention of Future Deaths Report - Moira Diane Parker We write in response to a Prevention of Future Deaths Report (“PFDR”) issued under Regulation 28 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013 in respect of the death of Moira Diane Parker. Before we set out below our response to the concerns outlined in the PFDR, we wish once again to extend our sincere condolences to Moira’s family and friends. Moira worked with us for many years and will be remembered for her kindness, her professionalism and her support for those around her. Her loss has been greatly felt by her Unilever colleagues, and our thoughts and sympathies remain with everyone who knew and cared for her. Concerns The PFDR states: “I am not satisfied staff have sufficient knowledge and training about the circumstances in which an occupational health referral can be made and the support that is available”. Response Before addressing the specific concern raised, we would like to reiterate that Unilever has given careful and thorough consideration to this case, including the evidence heard at the inquest and the concerns outlined in the Coroner’s report. The wellbeing of our employees is a longstanding focus for Unilever, and we have extensive resources in place to prevent, manage and support the health of our people. We are committed to continuous improvement and will always look at what more we can do to ensure our colleagues have the most effective wellbeing and health support. Unilever’s longstanding approach to employee mental health and wellbeing As outlined in our submission to the inquest, Unilever has for many years had in place a comprehensive and well-established framework to support employee mental health and wellbeing, both at Colworth Science Park, where Moira worked, and across its UK operations. This framework includes, among other things: Access to a dedicated Health and Wellbeing hub on the UK company intranet, providing a central point of access to the wide range of health and wellbeing resources available to employees across a variety of physical and mental health needs. Available support includes a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme with access to counselling, a 24/7 Digital GP service, and private healthcare provision. 7
Access to Occupational Health services via an external provider, with referrals available through HR, line managers and employees. The process to refer employees is detailed on the company intranet Health and Wellbeing page (see above). These resources, and Unilever’s approach to health and wellbeing, are communicated regularly to employees through all internal channels, including townhalls, plasma screens, newsletters, the intranet news feed, team meetings, live webinars, and leaflets on site, reflecting that different people like to access these resources in the way that suits them best individually. Employees can also look for information using an internal online chat function. There is a Health and Wellbeing Communications Plan that focuses on different topics throughout the year such as menopause, grief awareness, suicide, neurodiversity and women’s health. At the Colworth Science Park specifically, this broader framework had long been complemented by well-established, on-site and locally delivered initiatives which form an important part of how support is accessed in practice. Since 2019 this has included a dedicated on-site counsellor, providing regular, in-person mental health support for employees. Occupational Health – role and context Occupational Health (OH) plays an important role within our overall approach, and we have carefully considered the Coroner’s observations in this area. We have well established processes to support employees whose health affects their ability to work. These include a long-term absence process, guidance for line managers on managing sickness absence, return to work and wellbeing, and tools to support discussions about work- related stress, enabling them to provide appropriate and consistent support. As part of these processes, employees may be referred to Occupational Health for independent clinical advice on their health, fitness for work, likely recovery or return to work, and any workplace adjustments or other support that may be appropriate. Occupational Health's role is to provide independent clinical advice to inform support and decision-making; it does not determine employment outcomes. A referral to Occupational Health can be made by the employee themself, their line manager or HR. If a referral is made by a line manager or HR, it will always be discussed with the employee in advance, its purpose explained, and the employee’s consent must be obtained before it is submitted through the company process. We also provide an on-site, multidisciplinary Occupational Health service that enables employees to access the right support quickly, for example health coaching or physiotherapy, while helping clinicians build a strong understanding of our employees, our sites and how they operate. Occupational Health forms one part of a broader wellbeing support framework available to employees and, in some cases, their immediate family. As set out above, this includes services such as the Employee Assistance Programme, digital GP and physiotherapy access, private healthcare for eligible employees, and a range of wellbeing resources. Support is tailored to individual circumstances, and employees experiencing mental or physical ill health may receive clinical care from a variety of sources, including their GP and other external medical or support services. Occupational Health is therefore not typically used in isolation. Referrals may be considered where a health condition affects an employee's 8
attendance, performance or recovery, where workplace adjustments may be required, or where there are concerns about mental health or work-related stress. In such circumstances, line managers are expected to have an early supportive conversation with the employee, consider the support available and, where appropriate, assess whether a stress risk assessment is needed. The support provided will depend on the individual's circumstances and whether they consent to an Occupational Health referral, if that is deemed an appropriate step. Our internal data for the past four years, both for the Colworth Science Park site and for our UK sites more broadly, show that our Occupational Health service is well used and that many employees have been referred where appropriate. While Occupational Health has long formed part of our wider wellbeing framework, we are taking further steps to strengthen awareness and understanding of Occupational Health services, through leadership and line manager training, commissioning further mandatory training at Colworth Science Park, and refreshing mental health training across our UK operations to include guidance on the role of Occupational Health and how to access it. Circumstances in this case It is difficult to express the sadness and shock felt by everyone working at Unilever Colworth and in the wider business about the tragic loss of Moira. Moira worked with us for many years and our thoughts and sympathies remain with her family and friends. As the inquest heard, this was a complex case, with many factors impacting Moira’s professional and personal life. At various points during the period indicated Moira was receiving support through her GP and other medical professionals and was keeping her line manager regularly informed about her health concerns and treatment, particularly in relation to the unexplained cognitive decline she was experiencing. In that context, her line manager acted in accordance with the practices, guidance and understanding available to him at the time. He sought to support Moira with care, putting in place a range of measures to help address both work-related and personal concerns. As Moira’s health concerns became more evident early in 2025, this also included a referral to the company’s Occupational Health team for further support. We have of course considered carefully the matters identified by the Coroner and, as set out below, we remain absolutely committed to continuous learning and improvement and will continue to look at what more we can do to ensure that our colleagues feel better able to navigate the wellbeing and health resources we have available, including Occupational Health, and to ask for support if they are struggling. We will continue to equip our line managers with the skills and knowledge they need to support their people. Reflection and actions taken Over the past 14 months, we have spent a significant amount of time reflecting on this case, including the points raised by Moira, the evidence heard at the inquest, and the coroner’s observations in the PFDR, while also recognising the loss of a much-valued colleague. This reflection has informed our focus in a few key areas: At Colworth Science Park, where Moira worked, the leadership team has taken action to strengthen a culture in which employees feel able to speak up, seek 9
support and raise concerns. They continue to encourage open conversations between colleagues and between managers and teams, strengthen peer support, and help create an environment where people feel safe to speak up when they are struggling, support one another, and grow with confidence. Since April 2025, leaders at Colworth Science Park have been working with wellbeing colleagues and others to identify ways to best strengthen understanding and skills across the team. From January to April 2026, leaders and line managers attended mental health awareness and upskilling sessions. As part of our ongoing commitment, an expert external consultancy delivered a mandatory in-person session for leaders and line managers at our Colworth Science Park in recent weeks, with a similar in-person session to be held for all employees in the team Moira was part of later in the year. This includes a section specifically to remind people about the role of Occupational Health. Across our broader UK operations, we will be supporting line managers through the rollout of refreshed and updated online mental health training in the coming months. This training has previously been voluntary, but we will make it mandatory for Line Managers. The training will include information reminding people about the role of Occupational Health, and how to access these services if needed. We are simplifying and streamlining how employees across our UK sites can access our wellbeing support offer, making it easier for individuals to find and access the support most relevant to their needs at speed. Conclusion We have carefully reflected on the evidence heard at the inquest and the Coroner’s observations. We remain committed to continuous improvement and are taking forward actions to strengthen awareness, capability and access to Occupational Health support. This will continue to be part of our longstanding commitment to the health and wellbeing of employees, and the broader framework of resources we have available to anyone who needs support with their physical or mental health. We hope that the explanation set out above is helpful in addressing the concern identified in the PFDR.
Access to Occupational Health services via an external provider, with referrals available through HR, line managers and employees. The process to refer employees is detailed on the company intranet Health and Wellbeing page (see above). These resources, and Unilever’s approach to health and wellbeing, are communicated regularly to employees through all internal channels, including townhalls, plasma screens, newsletters, the intranet news feed, team meetings, live webinars, and leaflets on site, reflecting that different people like to access these resources in the way that suits them best individually. Employees can also look for information using an internal online chat function. There is a Health and Wellbeing Communications Plan that focuses on different topics throughout the year such as menopause, grief awareness, suicide, neurodiversity and women’s health. At the Colworth Science Park specifically, this broader framework had long been complemented by well-established, on-site and locally delivered initiatives which form an important part of how support is accessed in practice. Since 2019 this has included a dedicated on-site counsellor, providing regular, in-person mental health support for employees. Occupational Health – role and context Occupational Health (OH) plays an important role within our overall approach, and we have carefully considered the Coroner’s observations in this area. We have well established processes to support employees whose health affects their ability to work. These include a long-term absence process, guidance for line managers on managing sickness absence, return to work and wellbeing, and tools to support discussions about work- related stress, enabling them to provide appropriate and consistent support. As part of these processes, employees may be referred to Occupational Health for independent clinical advice on their health, fitness for work, likely recovery or return to work, and any workplace adjustments or other support that may be appropriate. Occupational Health's role is to provide independent clinical advice to inform support and decision-making; it does not determine employment outcomes. A referral to Occupational Health can be made by the employee themself, their line manager or HR. If a referral is made by a line manager or HR, it will always be discussed with the employee in advance, its purpose explained, and the employee’s consent must be obtained before it is submitted through the company process. We also provide an on-site, multidisciplinary Occupational Health service that enables employees to access the right support quickly, for example health coaching or physiotherapy, while helping clinicians build a strong understanding of our employees, our sites and how they operate. Occupational Health forms one part of a broader wellbeing support framework available to employees and, in some cases, their immediate family. As set out above, this includes services such as the Employee Assistance Programme, digital GP and physiotherapy access, private healthcare for eligible employees, and a range of wellbeing resources. Support is tailored to individual circumstances, and employees experiencing mental or physical ill health may receive clinical care from a variety of sources, including their GP and other external medical or support services. Occupational Health is therefore not typically used in isolation. Referrals may be considered where a health condition affects an employee's 8
attendance, performance or recovery, where workplace adjustments may be required, or where there are concerns about mental health or work-related stress. In such circumstances, line managers are expected to have an early supportive conversation with the employee, consider the support available and, where appropriate, assess whether a stress risk assessment is needed. The support provided will depend on the individual's circumstances and whether they consent to an Occupational Health referral, if that is deemed an appropriate step. Our internal data for the past four years, both for the Colworth Science Park site and for our UK sites more broadly, show that our Occupational Health service is well used and that many employees have been referred where appropriate. While Occupational Health has long formed part of our wider wellbeing framework, we are taking further steps to strengthen awareness and understanding of Occupational Health services, through leadership and line manager training, commissioning further mandatory training at Colworth Science Park, and refreshing mental health training across our UK operations to include guidance on the role of Occupational Health and how to access it. Circumstances in this case It is difficult to express the sadness and shock felt by everyone working at Unilever Colworth and in the wider business about the tragic loss of Moira. Moira worked with us for many years and our thoughts and sympathies remain with her family and friends. As the inquest heard, this was a complex case, with many factors impacting Moira’s professional and personal life. At various points during the period indicated Moira was receiving support through her GP and other medical professionals and was keeping her line manager regularly informed about her health concerns and treatment, particularly in relation to the unexplained cognitive decline she was experiencing. In that context, her line manager acted in accordance with the practices, guidance and understanding available to him at the time. He sought to support Moira with care, putting in place a range of measures to help address both work-related and personal concerns. As Moira’s health concerns became more evident early in 2025, this also included a referral to the company’s Occupational Health team for further support. We have of course considered carefully the matters identified by the Coroner and, as set out below, we remain absolutely committed to continuous learning and improvement and will continue to look at what more we can do to ensure that our colleagues feel better able to navigate the wellbeing and health resources we have available, including Occupational Health, and to ask for support if they are struggling. We will continue to equip our line managers with the skills and knowledge they need to support their people. Reflection and actions taken Over the past 14 months, we have spent a significant amount of time reflecting on this case, including the points raised by Moira, the evidence heard at the inquest, and the coroner’s observations in the PFDR, while also recognising the loss of a much-valued colleague. This reflection has informed our focus in a few key areas: At Colworth Science Park, where Moira worked, the leadership team has taken action to strengthen a culture in which employees feel able to speak up, seek 9
support and raise concerns. They continue to encourage open conversations between colleagues and between managers and teams, strengthen peer support, and help create an environment where people feel safe to speak up when they are struggling, support one another, and grow with confidence. Since April 2025, leaders at Colworth Science Park have been working with wellbeing colleagues and others to identify ways to best strengthen understanding and skills across the team. From January to April 2026, leaders and line managers attended mental health awareness and upskilling sessions. As part of our ongoing commitment, an expert external consultancy delivered a mandatory in-person session for leaders and line managers at our Colworth Science Park in recent weeks, with a similar in-person session to be held for all employees in the team Moira was part of later in the year. This includes a section specifically to remind people about the role of Occupational Health. Across our broader UK operations, we will be supporting line managers through the rollout of refreshed and updated online mental health training in the coming months. This training has previously been voluntary, but we will make it mandatory for Line Managers. The training will include information reminding people about the role of Occupational Health, and how to access these services if needed. We are simplifying and streamlining how employees across our UK sites can access our wellbeing support offer, making it easier for individuals to find and access the support most relevant to their needs at speed. Conclusion We have carefully reflected on the evidence heard at the inquest and the Coroner’s observations. We remain committed to continuous improvement and are taking forward actions to strengthen awareness, capability and access to Occupational Health support. This will continue to be part of our longstanding commitment to the health and wellbeing of employees, and the broader framework of resources we have available to anyone who needs support with their physical or mental health. We hope that the explanation set out above is helpful in addressing the concern identified in the PFDR.