Posts Tagged ‘CSV and CSR’

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Does CSR make good business sense?

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Does mainstreaming CSR make good business sense? Do they actually positively impact a company’s bottom-line?

Craig Smith writes about why mainstreaming CSR still makes good business sense, even during an economic downturn when CSR is not high on the priority list of many companies.

Lisa Cohen, in a recent post on CSRWire also discusses whether socially responsible investment (SRI) strategies produce results.  

Nestlé is one example a company doing well by doing good. Creating Shared Value, which is Nestlé approach towards CSR, is a fundamental part of Nestlé’s way of doing business, which focuses on specific areas of the Company’s core business activities where value can best be created both for society and shareholders. With an organic growth of 4.1% achieved in 2009, Nestlé has been able to grow substantially faster than the industry.

I would like to invite you to share examples of companies you think are doing good work in integrating CSR in their business operations.

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Posted in CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility, Creating Shared Value | 2 Comments »

Nestlé Prize in Creating Shared Value: Winner to be announced on 27 May

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

The first edition of the Nestlé Prize in Creating Shared Value was a great success with more than 500 applications received from all over the world. Thank you to all participants for sending us their project applications!

Applications received represented a broad range of approaches to problems of nutrition, water, or rural development. Examples of projects included innovative solutions for improving access to and management of water, for improving the lives of farmers and rural communities, or delivering high nutritional value to populations suffering from nutritional deficiencies.

The Nestlé Prize Screening Committee selected the best applications from the pool of entries and the Nestlé Advisory Board on Creating Shared Value will choose the Nestlé Prize Laureate. Mark your calendar: the winner will be announced on 27 May, 2010!

The Nestlé Prize in Creating Shared Value seeks to recognize successes in the areas of nutrition, water, and rural development. More information about the Prize can be found on http://www.nestle.com/CSV/CSVatNestle/CsvPrize/About.htm.

Nestlé will commit to the Prize winner an investment of up to CHF 500,000 for a specified period of time, to assist in the development and scale-up of the innovation.

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Posted in Creating Shared Value, Nutrition, Rural Development, Water | 2 Comments »

Creating Shared Value: The new concept of corporate social responsibility

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

An abstract of Nestlé Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe’s speech on why CSR has recently become topical and why we are observing a fundamental change in economic circles towards this issue.

The reason is the recent global financial and economic crisis. The last 18 months have made businesses increasingly aware that you can have long-term success only if you create the same value for shareholders and for society or the community in which you operate. There is now a change in attitude with regard to the social responsibilities of businesses, which has been traditionally been limited to philanthropic and charitable activities, often undertaken by companies to enhance their reputation.

For Nestlé, the observance of the Business Principles, national laws, and international standards is not only to ensure that our activities are environmentally sound, socially equitable and economically viable, or the role of a good corporate citizen. Our approach of creating shared value, delves deeper. We aim to work with the entire value chain to bring real benefits to business, society, customers and products. 

A single company cannot solve all the world’s problems, but every company can have its unique value chain aligned with sustainable positive impact – and in a manner which adds value to its shareholders.

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Efficient Coffee Production at Nescafé: spent coffee solids as energy

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

A short video on how coffee solids are used as fuel in the Nescafe production process, while maintaining the highest quality of coffee possible, at the right price for consumers.

 

 

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Reducing Food Insecurity

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

A major factor contributing to poverty and hunger is food insecurity, or the lack of sustainable physical or economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food for healthy and productive living. The Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations has projected that, in 2009, over 1 billion people will go to bed hungry, and estimates that the world will need until 2050 to boost agricultural investment by US$83bn a year to feed a growing population.

Speaking on the issue of food security at the Private Sector Forum in Milan, Nestlé Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe stressed the need for and the willingness of the private sector to be actively involved in addressing this issue. He emphasised that reducing food insecurity is not just about taking measures to produce more food, it is also about taking measures that actually change expectations and lead to sound long-term food security and called for bold solutions to tackle this issue.

In his presentation, Mr. Brabeck-Letmathe explains that there are five major challenges to overcome long-term global food insecurity: necessary quantities (basic calories and proteins) in a sustainable manner, generating reliable incomes for farmers, affordability of the food for low-income consumers, quality of food (including nutritional value and safety), and access (food at the right time, in the right form, at the right place).

It is unfortunate and ironic that most of the people that are under-nourished or malnourished are primarily farmers, and come from rural areas. Click here to view video.

I welcome your views on how private sector companies can confront and combat the issue of global food insecurity.

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Nescafé Street Barista – Creating Opportunities for Street Vendors in Thailand

Friday, December 11th, 2009

Thais love their cuppa coffee, and in the sweltering heat, a glass of ice coffee can be especially refreshing. Street vending in Thailand is part of local culture and one can find a lot of independent street stalls selling beverages.

In 2006, Nestlé discovered the huge potential of street Baristas and invited a group of vendors to discuss how Nestlé could create value for them and improve their standard of living Most vendors were keen to learn how to provide professional service and market their products better. Thus, Nestlé organised a workshop for vendors who were trained on a variety of issues ranging from basic operations such as safety and hygiene, taste, decoration and merchandising to retaining customer base.

In the past three years, this initiative has expanded tremendously, with a huge wave of interest in 2008-2009 following a massive layoff from factories due to the economic downturn in Thailand. Nestlé has created income opportunities for 750 new street entrepreneurs who sell beverages in kiosks, push-carts, or mopeds. As street vending is not taxed, a vendor can earn as much as a factory worker working 6 days a week, and on a very good day, earn as much as a management executive.

This programme is now co-sponsored by the Ministry of Labour in Thailand as well as the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), and has been selected by the Thai Government as part of the Fast Track Fund Support Programme for the unemployed.

Nestlé hopes to recruit 600 new entrepreneurs by the end of 2009 and is aiming to reach 1,000 new vendors in 2010. 

A win-win approach for the street vendors as well as for Nestlé!

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The shift in Corporate Social Responsibility

Friday, December 11th, 2009

In the past decade, there has been a significant shift in the way the private sector has addressed corporate social responsibility (CSR) – from inserting an environmental section to their annual financial report and only reacting to issues when it hit the media to being pro-active and embedding CSR as part of their day-to-day business operations.

Bill Greenhalgh, in his recent article on CSR in the Financial Post, mentioned Nestlé’s work in the milk districts in India as “the ultimate example of altruistic self-interest” by continuously implemented initiatives that have improved the quality of life of the communities around its factories.

Over the past 50 years, Nestlé has developed artificial insemination programmes for cattle, subsidised farmers’ purchase of milking machines and helped procure loans for the community. In addition, company veterinarians and agronomists supervise the milk routes and advise farmers on the most appropriate feed for the herds and milk storage facilities have been set up in close location to the farmers. 

Corporations need to change the way they manage “people, planet, and profit” and embrace CSR as the way they do business.

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Posted in Rural Development | 3 Comments »

Creating Shared Value by Kofi Annan

Friday, December 11th, 2009

  Annan_CSVForum

Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan recently addressed an audience of around 400 people at the Nestlé Creating Shared Value (CSV) Forum in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Mr Annan stressed the importance of CSV emphasising that it is a positive way of being responsible – whether by transferring technology or by making a contribution against climate change, or by efficiently using energy. He believed the CSV model could be used as a model by rich and poor countries and said it is possible to make profit with sustainability while giving something to society.

He suggested that the best way to make sustainability a shared value is to exploit resources rationally, believing that sound societies have to be based on peace, security, economical balance, respect for human rights and the rule of law – which should not be left to governments alone.

Mr Annan also sent a message to young people motivating them to play a constructive role in their communities, to become good global citizens, make good choices and have an active voice in the world.

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KitKat goes Fairtrade in the UK and Ireland

Friday, December 11th, 2009

Fairtrade KitKat

Nestlé UK has announced its four-finger Kit Kat bar will be certified by Fairtrade* in the United Kingdom and Ireland from January 2010.

The UK Fairtrade certification is one example of Nestlé’s global commitment to promote sustainable cocoa production and support farmers and cocoa farming communities through The Cocoa Plan.

Nestlé has been working in Côte d’Ivoire – one of the poorest countries in the world – for over 50 years. The Fairtrade certification of Kit Kat will facilitate long-term direct commitments to cocoa co-operatives in Côte d’Ivoire, including additional payments for the farmers to invest in community or business development projects of their own choice, such as improving healthcare and schools. This is part of a long-term plan of Nestlé to create shared value in rural areas of where farming communities are solely dependent on coffee and cocoa for their livelihood.

The Cocoa Plan will also benefit Ivorian farmers by offering Nestlé’s agricultural and scientific know-how to improve the quality and yield of cocoa plants, offer farmer training and education, while improving the social conditions for farmers and their communities.

We welcome readers to share similar initiatives that create shared value in rural communities and demonstrate the responsible use of natural resources as well as enhances the well-being of the farming communities.

* The Fairtrade Foundation, established in 1992, is the independent non-profit organisation that ensures disadvantaged farmers and workers in developing countries get a better deal.

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Nespresso shares new insights on coffee farm economics

Friday, November 20th, 2009

Guillaume Le Cunff, Nestlé Nespresso SA, addressing the Forum

Specialists from academia, industry, farming, NGOs, public and agri-finance gathered together at the Third Nestlé Nespresso AAA   Sustainable Quality™ Coffee Forum to discuss the theme Financing the Future and Creating Real Farmer Income™. Expert debate focused on the Nespresso concept of Real Farmer Income™ to develop a clear roadmap to build and finance a truly sustainable future for the highest quality coffee sector.

Launched in collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance in 2003, the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program aims to safeguard the long-term supply of highest quality coffee, while at the same time improve the quality of life of farmers and their communities. Nespresso has committed to a target to source 80% of its coffee through the AAA Program, from Rainforest Alliance Certified™ farms, by 2013 as a part of Ecolaboration™ the Nespresso platform for sustainable innovation.

Harvard Business School Professor Michael Porter,  one of the originators of the shared value concept and member of the Nestlé Creating Shared Value Advisory Board, said: “Nespresso’s innovative program, which helps farmers achieve higher prices, better yields, and greater environmental performance and sustainability,  is not driven by charity but by creating value. Nespresso will benefit strategically from the quality improvements that farmers achieve and coffee supplies that will be far more sustainable over time. It is this alignment between corporations and social challenges, not a mindset of separation and tradeoffs, which is the key to both economic and social progress.”

Participants also reviewed a ground-breaking study commissioned by Nespresso and undertaken by INCAE, the leading South American business school. Professor Lawrence Pratt from INCAE stated that is a real opportunity for Nespresso to continue to positively contribute to improving farming and management practices to deliver long term economic creation as well as environmental and social benefits.

Please click here for more information on Nespresso Ecolaboration™, including Real Farmer Income™.

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