Consumer goods manufacturer Unilever has signed a global outsourcing deal with Accenture to provide a broad range of HR services.

The seven-year contract will cover services from recruitment to payroll processing and performance management in 100 countries. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.  

The agreement is part of the company's "One Unilever" programme designed to transform its HR operations through greater efficiency.  

Details about how the deal will affect Unilever's global HR staff – approximately 3,300 employees – are not fully known. The company said it is expected that fewer than half of these will be affected by the transition of roles and services to Accenture.  

Accenture will also provide Unilever with a range of learning services.

Under the HR portion of the contract, Accenture will provide recruitment, payroll administration, reward administration, performance management, workforce reporting, core HR administration and third party provider management services.  

Sandy Ogg, Unilever's chief HR officer, said: "This global outsourcing deal represents a major strategic choice for Unilever. We believe it is best for our business if we concentrate on our core competencies and transfer what is our back office and make it into someone else's front office."