An Essential Nestlé Value: Investing in Our Communities

We’re celebrating our 150th anniversary by going big — and going home

Planning a birthday party can be a joyful challenge, whether the guest of honor is a toddler unaware of the significance or an adult celebrating a landmark year. So imagine the endless possibilities before us as we plan the 150th birthday party for Nestlé, a company that spans the globe. How would you mark the occasion?

At Nestlé, we decided to go big and go home, taking our birthday spirit to our own communities.

This week, Nestlé in the US will embark on its largest single day of organized community service in our 150-year history. On August 4, more than 6,000 Nestlé employees will take part in 150+ volunteer events across the United States. More than a simple day of service, #Nestlé150for150 is a tangible example of our long-term commitment to create a positive impact in our communities.

This commitment to having a positive impact on our communities begins with improving the quality of the food we eat. One of the great advantages of Nestlé’s size and reach is a unique ability to create impact at scale. We’ve set out to become the world’s leading nutrition, health and wellness company, a core driver of our business. On that journey, we aim to create a ripple effect throughout the food system, driving healthier and more sustainable choices.

Yet we realize that our responsibility to improve does not end with food. To achieve success that lasts 150 years and longer, we must always provide far-reaching value to our customers, suppliers and the communities that we call home. Creating shared value in today’s world is more important than ever and embedded in Nestlé’s culture.

That’s why on August 4, we’ll put an exclamation mark on the work we do every day. Uniting together, communities across the United States will see the faces of Nestlé and our partners giving their time and energy to something greater than themselves.

What will this day of service look like as we fan out across the country? Everything from stocking food pantries to creating care packages for soldiers overseas to cleaning up trash from roadways and waterways. Volunteers will rally to help local animal shelters and join hands to gather essential school supplies for children. Here are three values important to Nestlé and all of us:

Water Access. Nestlé employees in Stamford, Conn., will spend the day removing invasive species and trash from the Mill River, which flows through New Haven and empties onto Long Island Sound. This local effort is a small piece of Nestlé’s global efforts to improve access to water in all its forms. Water access is a human right. Yet, the United Nations estimates 663 million people in the world (twice the population of the United States) have no access to clean water. About 2.4 billion people around the world lack adequate sanitation. Nestlé committed globally to providing 350,000 people with water, sanitation and hygiene services by 2016 — a goal we’ve already exceeded. By 2015, we had provided 440,000 people around the world with these services. Though cleaning up our rivers on August 4 may only be one day, Nestlé’s commitment to water access is an everyday commitment.

Education and Jobs: Nestlé employees in Ft. Worth will provide more than 1,200 students with backpacks and school supplies. This assistance will happen just in time for the upcoming school year. Education and job opportunities go hand in hand. As a global employer, we are acutely aware of the challenging job market many people are facing. Nestlé is working closely with policymakers and educators to help people land their first jobs. By 2018, we will offer 24,000 job opportunities and 7,000 apprenticeship, internship or traineeship positions across the Americas.

Health and Wellness: Nestlé has worked with many partners to promote healthy lifestyles and to address childhood obesity in the United States. Last year, we launched a three-year partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs of America. As part of this partnership, we are helping kids and teens set and achieve tangible short-term fitness goals through a biannual National Fitness Competition. On August 4, we will sponsor one of our biggest Fitness Competitions to date when Nestlé employees. More than 200 youth from Southern California Boys & Girls Clubs will participate in the historic Rose Bowl stadium. Led by Olympic champions Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Gail Devers, we’ll encourage students to run and jump their way to a healthy and active future. By 2017, we expect the National Fitness Competition to reach 500 clubs and engage more than 50,000 young people.

Nestlé’s day of service just provides a quick glimpse of who we are as a company. A more comprehensive look at our work and initiatives is available here. What you’ll see is a company whose commitment to communities and the people in them is as strong as our commitment to our shareholders. We cannot serve one without serving the other.

I can’t think of better way to mark 150 years than going big while serving the communities we call home.

Follow #Nestle150for150 on August 4 to watch our day of service live.