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1
Unilever Annual Report & Accounts and Form 20-F 2000
Contents
Unilever N.V. (NV) is a public limited company registered
in the Netherlands, w hich has listings of shares or
certificates (depositary receipts) of NV on the stock
exchanges in Amsterdam, London and New York and in
Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg and Sw itzerland.
Unilever PLC (PLC) is a public limited company registered
in England which has shares listed on the London Stock
Exchange and, as American Depositary Receipts, on the
New York Stock Exchange.
The two parent companies, NV and PLC, operate as nearly
as is practicable as a single entity (together referred to as
Unilever, the Group or the Unilever Group). NV and PLC
and their group companies constitute a single group
under Netherlands and United Kingdom legislation for
the purposes of presenting consolidated accounts.
Accordingly, the accounts of the Unilever Group are
presented by both NV and PLC as their respective
consolidated accounts.
This publication is produced in both Dutch and English and
comprises the full Annual Report and Accounts for 2000 of
NV and PLC. This document complies with the Netherlands
and the United Kingdom regulations and also forms the NV
and PLC Annual Reports on Form 20-F to the Securities and
Exchange Commission in the United States of America for
the year ended 31 December 2000. It is made available to
all shareholders w ho request or elect to receive it.
From 1 January 2000, Unilever has adopted the euro as its
principal reporting currency. Details of the change are
explained on page 7. The effect of exchange fluctuations
means that the trends shown may differ significantly from
those previously shown in sterling.
The separate publication, ‘Unilever Annual Review 2000’,
containing a Summary Financial Statement w ith figures
expressed in euros, w ith translations into pounds sterling
and US dollars, is also published in Dutch and English. It is
a short form document that is prepared in accordance with
the United Kingdom regulations for Summary Financial
Statements. The Unilever Annual Review 2000 is mailed to
all registered shareholders and to other shareholders w ho
are either entitled or have asked to receive it.
The brand names shown in italics in this report are trade
marks owned by or licensed to companies w ithin the
Unilever Group.
Report of the Directors ■
Financial highlights 2
Chairmen’s statement 3
About Unilever 5
Operating review
Highlights 7
By region 9
By category 15
Other information 23
Financial review 25
Corporate governance 30
Remuneration report 36
Financial Statements ■
Statement of directors’ responsibilities 45
Report of independent auditors 46
Accounting information and policies 47
Consolidated profit and loss account 50
Consolidated statement of total
recognised gains and losses and
cash flow statement 51
Consolidated balance sheet 52
Notes to the consolidated accounts 53
Five year record 91
Schedules 97
Additional information for United
States investors 98
Principal group companies and
fixed investments 101
Company accounts 105
Shareholder information ■
Control of Unilever 112
Analysis of shareholding 116
Information about exchange controls
affecting security holders 116
Nature of the trading market 117
Taxation for US residents 119
Dividends 121
Cross reference to Form 20-F 122
Financial calendar and addresses 123
Publications 124
Website 124