THE WHAT? Unilever plans to cut around a third of all office roles in Europe by the end of next year as part of a broader effort to boost growth under its new chief executive.

THE DETAILS  The job cuts are part of Unilever’s “productivity programme” announced in March, which includes slashing up to 7,500 roles globally. Unilever, whose brands include Hellmann’s and Dove, employs 10,000 to 11,000 office-based staff in Europe. Constantina Tribou, chief human resources officer, confirmed the cuts would primarily affect office-based roles, excluding factory jobs.

THE WHY? Hein Schumacher, who took over as Unilever’s CEO a year ago, is under pressure to shake up the company and improve growth after years of underperformance. The cuts aim to streamline operations and enhance productivity.