The Global Alliance for YOUth, a business alliance created and co-founded by Nestlé, is celebrating this year its first decade of helping young people enhance their employability and find job opportunities. In the past 10 years, 25 international company members have provided over 40 million professional development opportunities for people all over the world aged 18 to 30 years old.
Established first in Europe during a challenging economic environment, the Alliance for YOUth was the first private sector movement dedicated to helping young people acquire the necessary skills to thrive in the world of work. Its ambition was to create more than 100 000 job opportunities in the region. In 2019, the Alliance was expanded globally to become the Global Alliance for YOUth. Since then, it has made significant strides in its mission to:
- Create development opportunities: Member companies have collectively created over 40 million development opportunities for youth globally. Beneficiaries have been able to kickstart their careers with their first jobs, acquire essential skills to enhance their employability and receive support to start or grow their own businesses.
- Support vulnerable youth: The Alliance collaborated with JA Europe to address the needs of underserved communities, including refugees and marginalized youth in Germany and Poland.
- Empower young change-makers: In collaboration with the Global Shapers Community and Accenture, the Alliance launched an annual Innovation Prize, aimed at empowering young innovators to tackle pressing social and environmental challenges.
- Promote essential digital skills: The Code4YOUth hackathon was launched in collaboration with HCL Tech, Microsoft and Publicis Group to promote digital inclusion, foster creativity and support young people in developing essential digital skills. The seven finalists, out of 5 000 candidates, had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a panel of industry experts, with the potential for their solutions to make a lasting impact on communities worldwide.
- Expand member companies' own contributions: Nestlé alone (pdf, 6Mb) has connected 7.7 million young people to jobs, traineeships and apprenticeships as well as training opportunities since 2017. In 2023, it facilitated almost 24 000 job placements and close to 11 000 apprenticeships for individuals under 30, with a focus on developing agripreneurs.
Laurent Freixe, Nestlé CEO, Founder and Chairperson of the Global Alliance for YOUth, commented: "With rapid technological advancements, including AI, the nature of work is undergoing significant changes. Today, our mission is more relevant than ever. By promoting dual education, digital inclusion, and continuous soft skills development, we prepare the younger generation for the professional world. Young people, often digital natives, are uniquely positioned to adapt to these changes and, when empowered, can drive profound and lasting societal change, while deepening the talent pool of member companies."
Irina Berestova, a Ukrainian beneficiary from the JA Europe HONOUR Project, said: "The HONOUR project provided me with a roadmap and tools to contribute to my ongoing integration into the German labour market. The project's workshops and the support received have been instrumental in positioning me for future success. I am grateful for this amazing opportunity and would like to express my sincere gratitude for the support given to me and other displaced young people."
The Global Alliance for YOUth invites other companies to collaborate in addressing youth unemployment. This business-driven Alliance aims to equip young people with the skills necessary to thrive in the modern workforce. Its member companies include L'Oreal, Microsoft, Publicis Groupe, Meta, Cargill, DSM-Firmenich, NielsenIQ, Salesforce, Starbucks, Engie, EY, Willis Towers Watson, HCL Tech, Idemia, The Adecco Group, Sodexo, Zurich Insurance Group, SAP, BT, Accenture, White & Case, Buhler Group, Rockwell Automation, ISS and Nestlé.
The Global Alliance is proud to collaborate with ILO, the World Bank, the Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN), the Global Shapers at WEF, JA Europe and UNESCO, to help young people find a job, thrive in the workplace, or start a business.
