As finance organizations continue their quest to build global delivery capabilities, some companies are leveraging the networked organizational model.  In this archetype, companies partner with 3rd party service providers to provide capabilities that provides services that would be difficult to replicate in-house. An example is the recently announced deal between Unilever and Capgemini to provide finance and accounting services to 130 countries.  An excerpt from the press release:

Paris, 19 December 2012 – Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost consulting, technology and outsourcing services providers has been selected by Unilever, one of the world’s leading consumer goods companies, as one of its global Strategic Suppliers under its ‘Partner to Win’ programme. Capgemini has also been awarded a more than €100 million five-year outsourcing contract for Unilever continuing its seven-year relationship delivering Unilever’s Southern Hemisphere Record to Report operations, global intercompany processes, as well as Access Control and Reporting & Monitoring globally.

Outsourcing a substantial portion of a finance organization is not for every company.  It takes a huge cultural shift to move in that direction.  However, for companies like Unilever, it enables them to create a more effective global delivery network for finance while enabling them to focus on their core business.

You can read the entire press release at: Capgemini signs a new Finance & Accounting outsourcing contract with Unilever.