Caring about our people & communities

Creating an inclusive, inspiring and rewarding workplace
 

Equipping our workforce for the future

When our employees feel they can be themselves at work, they are often happier, more engaged and productive, enhancing their ambition of being a force for good. Our ability to attract, develop and retain a diverse range of skilled people is critical to being competitive and fostering growth. A skilled, agile and engaged workforce plays a pivotal role in our success.

Creating a progressive working environment

We are working hard to create a healthy, positive and ethical working environment – one that empowers employees, brings benefits to individuals and helps us as a business. We are building on the progress we have made to improve cultural diversity, equity and inclusion toward a workplace that is gender-balanced and offers equal opportunities for people with disabilities.

We recognise employee health is fundamental to a strong business: healthier people tend to be happier, more engaged and more productive. We are also recruiting for the digital and artificial intelligence skills we will need in the future.

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Our approach to diversity, equity and inclusion is geared toward building a better business and includes four key pillars. Each pillar also recognises the needs and challenges of the five generations working at Nestlé.

• Gender balance
• People with disabilities
• LGBTQI+ community
• Race and ethnicity

Our inclusive culture leverages the differences of our employees and better reflects the society and communities in which we live. In addition, our innovations consider the diversity of consumers and customers when we make and distribute products.

A critical factor in building a more inclusive workplace is understanding intersectionality or the fact that different social categories can overlap. For example, people can be part of the LGBTQI+ community and have a disability or be a single parent and come from an ethnic minority background.

We seek fair and just treatment for all our people, regardless of their characteristics, unique needs or experiences.

Employee health, well-being and safety

Our employee health vision aims to inspire and empower our people to make healthier choices, while respecting the principles of privacy and personal choices, in an environment of caring leadership. Our Safety and Health at Work Action Plan is being implemented across all markets, focused on strengthening our safety culture and realising our zero-harm ambition.

We encourage informed decision-making and for people to take responsibility for themselves, their families and our business. At the same time, we work to anticipate and mitigate workplace health risks, we offer health and well-being programs, and we support employees during and after injuries or illnesses.

Employee relations and engagement

We recognise the importance of collaborating with our employees and their representatives and organisations, as well as external labour stakeholders. Our vision is to ensure that employees are treated with mutual trust and fairness and feel engaged with our purpose, principles and values. We aim to provide a work environment that is contemporary and flexible, contributing to openness and inclusiveness in all our interactions.

Organisational design and change management

In line with our Corporate Business Principles, our purpose and values are based on the same ideas as when we develop our products: fairness, honesty and a concern for individuals, families, pets and communities. We also recognise the world changes fast, so we constantly evaluate the external environment, taking local legislation, cultural and religious practices into account, and adapt where necessary.

SDG Contributions