For the first time we invited external stakeholders to convene during 2007 specifically to provide feedback on our Creating Shared Value strategy, priority issues, communication and reporting, in order to inform future decisions by Nestlé and to validate the findings of earlier internal consultations to identify key issues.
Three full-day sessions were held during 2007, in Geneva, Washington DC and Kuala Lumpur. We intend to follow up these sessions and examine the potential to conduct further engagement and research in future years; to include Africa and Latin America.
The stakeholder convenings were designed, organized and facilitated by AccountAbility and were attended by a total of more than 50 external participants, expert in a wide range of social and environmental impact areas relevant to Nestlé’s business activities and operations. The participants were invited by Nestlé to share their perspectives candidly. Sessions were also attended by senior managers and decision-makers from Nestlé functional business areas and public affairs.
Issues identified
A number of key issues emerged during the participants’ discussions, and the question of compliance and verification emerged as a common theme in all convenings. Other key issues identified included:
- Nutrition, health and wellness, including promotion of healthy lifestyles and related information provision/communication
- Human rights and sustainable production as part of the supply chain, including water and packaging issues
- Community support and enterprise development
Insights and learning for Nestlé
The sessions enabled an effective dialog resulting in valuable perspectives. Nestlé is grateful to all those who took part. In particular, these external opinions provided Nestlé with a valuable cross-comparison to issues already identified through the earlier internal consultation process. They also gave Nestlé further insight into relative priorities in the context of individual, organizational and geographical perspectives of the participating stakeholders. For example, Nestle’s role in standards development/ promotion - especially on halal - was discussed during the Kuala Lumpur convening.
The outputs of the convenings have been reported to our Executive Board and will inform the development of Nestlé’s strategies on Creating Shared Value.
Nestlé has committed to report back to the expert groups on progress made in relation to recommendations by around May 2008. The feedback and recommendations will be more fully considered for Nestlé’s next print report on Creating Shared Value (to be published in 2010), while our website will make updates available as we make progress with our stakeholders to improve and respond to recommendations made.
Expert participants*
Expert participants included Conference of NGOs, Conservation International, International Labour Organization, Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Initiative against Child Labor, Institute of Corporate Responsibility, Malaysia, Lutheran World Federation, Max Havelaar Foundation, Malaysian Association for the Study of Obesity, Malaysian Institute of Corporate Governance, The Methodist Church, Rainforest Alliance, Sustain, Transparency International, United Nations Development Program, World Economic Forum, World Cocoa Foundation, World Business Council on Sustainable Development, World Wildlife Fund.
* This list records independent organisations who attended stakeholder convenings in 2007, and is not intended to imply that these organisations have commented on or verified the contents of our Creating Shared Value report.