Gender equity, non-discrimination and non-harassment

A culture free of discrimination, violence or harassment is right for society, and for Nestlé.

We are clear that our own workplaces and those of our suppliers must not tolerate any form of these abuses. As part of a just transition to a fairer and more ethical food system, we are committed to ensuring diversity and inclusion are integral components of our business. We want everyone to bring their whole selves to work – and to speak up if they feel their rights are not being protected.

We have made progress in four key areas: Gender balance, people with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community and race and ethnicity. This year we were recognized for our transparency in gender reporting and supporting women's empowerment. As a global business with hundreds of thousands of employees in many different countries, and a complex system of external suppliers, there is more to do to ensure everyone is healthy, safe, accepted, valued and supported. This issue remains one of Nestlé's ten priority human resources areas.

Changing the face of our workforce

Nestlé champions the rights of our own employees and also promotes it for those within our suppliers' workplaces. We collaborate with leading organizations to advocate for civil rights and protections.

Our key actions

• Further raise awareness and build the capacity of our employees on gender equity, non-discrimination and non-harassment
• Further strengthen our and our direct suppliers' capacity to assess and prevent risks to gender equity, non-discrimination and non-harassment
• Strengthen direct suppliers' capacity to uphold Nestlé's commitments on gender equity, non-discrimination and non-harassment as part of our Supplier Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) Assurance Framework
• Engage and support prioritized direct suppliers in taking actions to address gender equity, non-discrimination and non-harassment risks and impacts in their own operations
• Support the promotion and strengthening of gender equity, non-discrimination and non-harassment in Nestlé markets
• Collaborate with peers and stakeholders to help address systemic issues and develop common approaches and tools on gender equity, non-discrimination and non-harassment
• Drive further awareness about our grievance mechanism and develop capacities among our suppliers

Our Gender Balance Acceleration Plan

Through our Gender Balance Acceleration Plan we are committed to increasing the percentage of women in managerial positions via the following specific actions:

• Supporting all managers to foster an inclusive workplace and ensuring that they are trained on unconscious bias;
• Encouraging the use of Nestlé's paid parental leave program and flexible work policies in place in all Nestlé operating companies;
• Enhancing mentoring and sponsorship programs to prepare high-potential women for senior executive positions;
• Hiring and promoting more women in senior executive positions;
• Reviewing results with senior leaders to promote gender balance and ensure progress;
• Continuing our efforts to champion equal pay and eliminate conditions that create gender pay gaps;
• Reporting progress in Nestlé's annual Creating Shared Value report.

End-2022, we achieved our goal to increase the proportion of women in our top 200 senior executive positions to 30%. Currently, women hold 45% of our managerial positions. Achieving a gender-balanced organization is a continued focus of our work. We will continue to prioritize it across our business on the path to gender parity.

We are also promoting gender equity within suppliers' workplaces and in the agricultural communities we source from.

Empowering people with disabilities

We signed the International Labor Organization's Global Business and Disability Network Charter to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities in our workplace. Since 2020, Nestlé has been a partner in the The Valuable 500 and as such is committed to: 

• Providing equal opportunities for people with disabilities
• Promoting awareness and understanding in order to mitigate unconscious bias
• Leveraging our Nestlé Needs YOUth Initiative to positively impact the lives of young people living with disabilities, helping them develop the skills they need to thrive 
   

Committed to LGBTQ+ equality

As a member of the Partnership with Global LGBTI Equality (PGLE), we are helping accelerate equality and inclusion for LGBTQ+ people in the workplace. We empower our workers to be their authentic selves at work and have implemented strong policies, guidelines and reporting systems to reinforce our culture of respect and support. This includes efforts to provide gender-neutral benefits. We support the UN's LGBTI Standards of Conduct and have partnered with LGBTQ+ civil society groups in many countries to advocate for civil rights and workplace protections. We are proud that LGBTQ+ networks have sprung up in multiple markets where we operate. Our Employee Resource Groups operating in numerous markets also encourage a safe space for employee conversations around LGBTQ+ topics. For example, in Nestlé UK and Ireland, the network counts more than 220 LGBTQ+ employees and allies and has been nominated among the top networks by the British LGBT+ Awards.

Helping end racial discrimination

Nestlé has advanced racial and ethnic inclusion for a long time. We were one of the founding members of the World Economic Forum's Partnering for Racial Justice in Business initiative, to help root out institutional racism in business and society. Today, our global workforce represents approximately 177 nationalities and more than 85% of the management committee positions in our markets are held by local employees who are truly representative of the communities we serve.