Nestlé said it believes that communities cannot thrive if they fail to offer a future for younger generations. The International Labor Organization (ILO) estimates that two out of every five young people are either unemployed or have a job that keeps them in poverty. In the Middle East, youth unemployment rates are estimated at nearly 27 percent, higher than any other region in the world.
“As a global company, Nestlé is determined to help young people develop their skills so that they can find jobs or create their own businesses. We want to help equip the next generation for employment, to become inspiring leaders in our company — successful agripreneurs, entrepreneurs and game changers, regardless of their field or level of expertise,” the company said in a press release.
“This will help build thriving, resilient communities and support the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Developing youth helps our business too, because young people are the employees who will keep our company dynamic and competitive, the farmers who will grow the crops we need, and the entrepreneurs who will help us reach new markets.
This is why, in 2017 we expanded our ‘Nestlé needs YOUth’ initiative to encompass our entire value chain — from operations and supply, to agriculture and innovation. By doing so, we are supporting our ambition to help 10 million young people worldwide access economic opportunities by 2030.”
In the Middle East, where 70 percent of Nestlé’s new hires are youth, “Nestlé Needs YOUth” impacted more than 4,700 young people in 2017 through initiatives that include:
l The Nestlé Center of Excellence, a Nestlé training academy founded in 2012 which trains university graduates in Saudi Arabia and Oman. It has so far trained 170 people, hired 42, and, since 2014, offered 200 internships and traineeships.
l The Graduate Development Program, a three-year rotational development program that aims to recruit distinguished graduates from leading universities in the region in the fields of marketing, sales, human resources, finance and control, supply chain, and technical. Fifty-four of Nestlé Middle East’s 2,300 youth hired since 2010 have so far joined the program.
l Career advising, implemented by working with universities across the region to offer expert advice to students in the areas of readiness for work, employability, business and corporate environment, and leadership.
These impacted 4,700 people in 2017 through 50 events held in 10 countries across the region.
