Improving livelihoods in communities
Ten percent of the world’s population – 756 million people – still live in extreme poverty. But when employers support and work with their employees and the communities in which they live, these communities can thrive and grow more resilient. We especially look to support young people, who are our future employees, suppliers and partners – and who represent the future of our business.
Across our business, we work with suppliers, partners and farmers globally. With the growing demand for food, and challenges to farming such as climate change and an aging farm population, we strive to support rural development, promote and respect human rights and guarantee decent employment and diversity. Our programs, initiatives and commitments to achieve these aims are designed to build stronger communities and a secure and sustainable supply chain.
The power of YOUth
Youth unemployment is a serious issue across the world and a contributor to global poverty. It also has wider implications. Young people are increasingly moving from rural to urban areas to seek work, creating uncertain futures for the villages they leave behind. With global demand for food ever increasing, farming needs to be seen as a financially viable career by young people.
As a major employer, we understand the role we can play to help tackle this. Nestlé needs YOUth is one of our three global initiatives and aims to help 10 million young people access economic opportunities by 2030. We want to equip the next generation for employment and support them to become inspiring leaders in our company, successful agripreneurs, entrepreneurs and game-changers, regardless of their field or level of expertise. Young people are the future; we aim to help build the skills they need to succeed in life.
The leaders of tomorrow need our guidance, our support, and above all they need opportunities and platforms where their voice can be heard and their ideas can be realized. I firmly believe that we must do everything in our power to help them.Laurent Freixe, Executive Vice President, CEO, Nestlé Zone Americas
Respecting human rights
Respecting human rights is a way of life for Nestlé. Our values are rooted in respect and create shared value for the business. Human rights abuses have no place in our business or supply chains. We believe upholding the human rights of the people who work for or with us is essential to make our business activities and supply chains more resilient, stable and sustainable.
Our expert says
We have worked relentlessly to embed the respect of human rights into our Corporate Business Principles and in 17 additional policies globally. This has helped us to translate the human rights language, which can be at times very technical, into practical and easy-to-understand requirements for our employees and business partners.Yann Wyss, Senior Public Affairs Manager – Social and Environmental Impact
Our future vision
When we work closely with the communities in which we operate and live, we can ensure their needs and concerns are met while encouraging and supporting them to choose healthy, balanced lifestyles. Nestlé is cultivating an environment where both community members and employees feel empowered to speak up, knowing that their ideas and concerns will be listened to. We understand the value of including these stakeholders in our decision-making process, building stronger communities and more secure supply chains and providing people with the opportunities they deserve.
