This thesis explores how workplace learning—particularly Work-Integrated Learning (WIL), understood as an embedded workplace application rather than a student-placement model—advances social sustainability in a multinational context. The study focuses on Unilever PLC and analyses five reporting years (2020–2024) of publicly available corporate disclosures (annual, sustainability, and human capital reports) to trace how learning pathways are designed, communicated, and linked to outcomes in diversity, inclusion, and employee well-being.

Three complementary frameworks guide the analysis: Sustainable Human Resource Development (SHRD), which foregrounds ethical and developmental aims; Stakeholder Theory, which interprets responsiveness to employee, community, investor, and partner expectations; and Institutional Theory, which explains alignment with external norms and legitimacy pressures. Using a qualitative single-case design and Braun & Clarke’s thematic analysis, the study identifies five interrelated themes:

(1) strategic alignment of learning with corporate sustainability;

(2) equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) as core learning outcomes;

(3) mental well-being and resilience learning;

(4) WIL as a workplace application operationalised through internships, graduate programmes, rotations, and live projects; and

(5) accountability and metrics connecting learning to reported social outcomes.

Findings indicate that Unilever frames learning as a lever for social value creation, integrating inclusive leadership, psychological safety, and values-led capability building into day-to-day work. WIL pathways underpin this approach by coupling authentic tasks with guidance and recognition, often in partnership with universities, NGOs, and communities. The thesis contributes by reframing WIL as a corporate mechanism for sustainable human development, offering practice insights for HR and sustainability professionals, and highlighting policy relevance for youth employment and inclusion. Limitations include reliance on curated corporate self-reporting and the single-case scope; future research should incorporate primary data and comparative, cross-sector designs.

Overall, the case illustrates how WIL-infused workplace learning can enable social sustainability when strategically aligned, inclusively designed, and transparently measured.