Global beverage giant Nestlé has launched a Youth Camp with aims to bring together key players in the youth employment sector to not only provide effective solutions to help youth develop professionally in an enabling environment, but also to inspire young people in Côte d’Ivoire.
Since 2013, Nestlé, under its global Nestlé Needs YOUth program, has committed to help 10 million young people access economic opportunities by 2030. This initiative is centered on the pillars of employment/employability, entrepreneurship and agripreneurship.
Nestlé
The issue of youth employment is a real challenge in Côte d’Ivoire. While economic opportunities exist, the youth employment rate according to the World Bank was only 27.6% in 2017. Job creation is essential, but equipping the youth with the skills to match these professions is just as important.
It is based on this that Nestlé Côte d’Ivoire launched the Youth Camp in 2018. The Youth Camp is a platform for students and graduates under 30, to interact with professionals and entrepreneurs, learn from their experiences, gain insight on making informed career choices and boost their employability. These sessions have so far reached more than 2,500 youth.
The Youth Camp aims to bring together key players in the youth employment sector to not only provide effective solutions to help youth develop professionally in an enabling environment, but also to inspire young people.This year’s event was chaired by the Minister of Youth Promotion, Professional Integration and Civic Service, Mr. Mamadou Touré, in the presence of the Minister of Technical Education, Vocational Training and Apprenticeship, Mr. Koffi N’Guessan. Mr. Mamadou Touré in his remarks stated, “I congratulate Nestlé, whose initiative is part of the dynamic of government decision and action to make the professional integration of youth a priority. The Ivorian population is very young with more than 77% of the population under 35 years old. Each year, we have nearly 400,000 people graduating from school but only 100,000 formal jobs created.”It is worth noting that Nestlé Côte d’Ivoire, Nestlé Nigeria, and Nestlé Central and West Africa Region (CWA) have been certified as Top Employers (https://bit.ly/3CQYUxE) by the global authority, Top Employers Institute, in 2021.Nestlé Côte d’Ivoire’s Technical Training center has also enrolled 5 batches of young graduates since 2017 of which 76 have been certified. This year, the company has also launched an internship program and a series of talks to prepare young people for employment
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry
Nestlé has appointed Mauricio Alarcon as new Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Central and West Africa Ltd, effective September 1, 2020. Mr. Alarcon has a robust and in-depth understanding of Central and West Africa. In 2014, he became Managing Director of Nestlé Côte d’Ivoire where he drove business growth and efficiency. He also headed Nestlé’s operations in Senegal, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Mauritania and Cape Verde.
Mauricio Alarcon, new Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé Central and West Africa
In 2016, he became the Managing Director of Nestlé Nigeria, the largest Nestlé operation in the region. During his tenure in Nigeria, Mr. Alarcon was a catalyst for change and innovation to achieve superior business performance amidst a volatile environment. He also demonstrated a strong personal commitment to improving the lives of people within the company as well as in the communities it operates.
Mr. Alarcon is a Mexican national with a Master’s degree in Engineering from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom. He worked in the banking sector before joining Nestlé Mexico in 1999. In 2004, he was appointed as Marketing Manager for the Ice Cream business in Australia. He moved to Nestlé’s North and Eastern Africa Region as Business Executive Manager for Ice Cream in 2010, transforming the business by doubling turnover and improving profitability.
“I’m honored and excited to lead Nestlé Central and West Africa Ltd. I look forward to joining forces with all our stakeholders to deliver Nestlé’s purpose, which is to unlock the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come”, said Mr. Alarcon.
“We will achieve this by bringing to life our vision of delivering affordable and accessible nutrition to everyone in Central and West Africa. We will also continue to build strong communities by improving livelihoods as well as intensify our efforts to protect our planet for future generations.” he added.
Nestlé operates in 25 countries and directly employs more than 5,400 people in Central and West Africa region. The region has 9 factories and 3 co-packers. As a company in society, Nestlé helps address the specific nutritional needs of the population by offering tastier and healthier foods & beverages; and by promoting balanced diets and healthy lifestyles. Nestlé’s portfolio in Central and West Africa spans food and beverage categories including dairy, culinary, coffee, beverages, infant nutrition and bottled water. MAGGI® MILO®, CERELAC ®, GOLDEN MORN®, NESCAFÉ®, NIDO® and PURE LIFE® are just some of our most popular brands in the region. The company’s purpose is “unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come.”
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry
Efforts aimed at supporting 25,000 farmers and 50 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across Central and West Africa received a boost with the Memorandum of Understanding entered into between Nestle and IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative, as part of the Grown Sustainably in Africa (GSA) programme. The three-year partnership aims to support 25,000 farmers and 50 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), as well as open-up new markets for them in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria, increasing employment and food security. The collaboration seeks to develop and empower these farmers and SMEs to help Nestlé meet its goal of boosting from 60% to more than 70% by 2022, its responsibly and regionally produced, high-quality raw materials used in the production of Maggi, Milo and Cerelac. By improving local agricultural produce, imports of food crops for local markets will be reduced.
Rémy Ejel, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nestlé Central and West Africa Ltd
“In line with Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value approach, our new partnership with IDH will increase the capacity of farmers to produce high quality crops that will enhance local supply and help develop local economies – this is all part of our commitment to improving 30 million livelihoods in communities directly connected to our business activities” said Rémy Ejel, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nestlé Central and West Africa Ltd.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the agricultural sector helps to support food security and eradicate hunger in the region, contributing about 15% of total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, based on current trends, the food production system in Sub Saharan Africa will only meet 13% of its food demand by 2050. Low productivity means agricultural output in Central and West Africa is only 56% of the world average. Poor quality and high post-harvest losses impact on raw materials production, while a lack of knowledge, inadequate infrastructure and rising youth unemployment all affect sustainable supply.
The IDH-Nestlé partnership aims to address such challenges by encouraging farmers and SMEs to efficiently produce high quality and high-yield crops using best agricultural practices, and in turn, also help to reduce their environmental impact and the need for natural resources. Such efforts highlight the importance of this year’s Earth Day, which focuses on climate action. In 2019, the company announced a new ambition to achieve zero net GHG emissions by 2050, in line with the UN climate pledge. To guide its efforts, Nestlé identified several key actions: fight deforestation, reduce food loss and waste, and work with farmers to reduce GHG emissions, develop alternative packaging solutions, and help suppliers manage soils through regenerative agriculture and tree planting.
As part of the GSA programme, the partnership aims to address challenges faced by farmers and SMEs who lack access to affordable finance, technical and management capabilities. In line with Nestlé’s Responsible Sourcing Guidelines and IDH’s vision, the collaboration will enable farmers to become reliable suppliers for other companies beyond Nestlé, increase African trade, and create permanent employment and opportunities for youths and women across the region. For example, Nestlé has already trained over 150,000 farmers, of whom a third are women, providing them with financial stability and increased ability to produce high-quality and traceable crops.
“This partnership pairs IDH’s technical expertise in agriculture value chain development and innovative financing through the EUR 500 million IDH Farmfit Fund (https://bit.ly/2VMSyLv), with commitments from Nestlé’s supply chain. It will help to transform farmers and SMEs into long-term, sustainable operators and have a massive impact on building up the African economy, creating jobs and increasing food security,” said Joost Oorthuizen, Executive Director for IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative. This partnership supports Nestlé’s purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry
As the negative effects of climate change hits closer home, the need for farmers to engage in responsible farming becomes more imperative, to this end Nestlé has launched a project aimed at helping Coffee growers across Africa, and most especially in West Africa to imbibe more responsible farming processes that promote sustainability and also protect the soil from depletion and erosion. This project according to company sources is aimed at impacting the livelihoods of thousands of farmers in the region to help them make more for themselves and their families and also their communities.
Head of Agricultural Services, Nestlé Central and West Africa, Fatih Ermis
In recognition of its efforts at preserving the environment and promoting sustainability, the NESCAFÉ factory in Cote d’Ivoire has for the third consecutive time this year, won the Eco-Citizen prize at the National Excellence Awards in the country. The factory was equally recognized for releasing only purified water into the environment and for none of its waste ending up in landfills. With our communities at heart, our coffee business upholds Nestlé’s worldwide commitment to protecting and safeguarding the environment and resources.
NESCAFÉ business which forms part of Nestlé’s NESCAFÉ Global Plan is committed to sourcing coffee beans for Nestlé responsibly, through sustainability programs. Under the Plan, Nestlé teaches coffee farmers how to grow coffee in a way that protects the environment. Nestlé has also reached over 13,000 farmers across the region, through Agripreneurship programs.
In addition to the earnings farmers make for their produce, they receive premium payments from Nestlé. Speaking on this initiative, Head of Agricultural Services, Nestlé Central and West Africa, Fatih Ermis highlights how impactful this is to farmers, “This premium allows farmers to have better livelihoods by earning additional income. Last year, Nestlé paid more than $865,000 in premiums to coffee farmers across the region. We are continuing in this vein this year, with a little over $841,000 paid to our coffee farmers, from January 2019 to date.” The company also said that because of the business relationship it has developed with the farmers, the NESCAFÉ consumed in Central and West Africa region is indigenous to the region as it sources over 15,000MT of coffee from Cote d’Ivoire.
Moreso, the company has launched a project that is committed to creating jobs and enabling entrepreneurship. Under the initiative named “My Own Business” (MyOwBu), Nestlé teaches young people how to manage their own micro-enterprise. The company also gives them training on sales, management, hygiene, safety and quality standards. This has a domino effect because these youth, now equipped with skills are encouraged to and often employ up to 10 other street vendors.
The Business Executive Officer of Nestlé Professional, an out-of-home service of Nestlé said that over 4,000 youth across the region have benefitted from this entrepreneurial opportunity. With this financial empowerment, they are on the right path to financial independence. “My proudest moments on the job are when I see how the lives of these vendors are transformed for the better” she said.
Critics however scoff at the above claims not because they are false but because the company is giving back just a very infinitesimal part of its profits from same farmers back in the name of community social responsibility. They opine that the best thing for Africa is to develop processing capabilities within the continent so that Africans can make real gain from their sweats instead of continuing enriching European transnationals who give crumbs in the name of ploughing back profits.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry.
As the world celebrates The World Heart Day yesterday, calls were made by different organizations and individuals not to lose sight of the disturbing rate at which Non Communicable Diseases (NCD’s) are on the rise especially in the tropics . For example high blood pressure has been identified as one of the leading risks for deaths worldwide, and hypertension prevalence rates in some sub-Saharan African countries among the highest in the world leading to heart failures across boards. Moreso, a number of health factors, including lifestyle, age and family history can all contribute to the risk of heart disease and impact on people’s health and well-being according to experts. While age and family history cannot be controlled, research suggests making a few simple changes to your daily routine at home, and at work, can make a difference.
Rémy Ejel, Market Head for Nestlé Central and West Africa (CWA)
To help many in West and Central Africa navigate this growing menace,the world’s largest nutrition and wellness company, Nestlé, has launched a Special Health and Wellness Program across the countries aimed at supporting and promoting its employees’ well-being and to inspire people to lead healthier lives, creating a workplace environment to boost the nutrition, health and wellness of their employees. Speaking on this development, the Market Head for Nestlé Central and West Africa (CWA) Rémy Ejel notes that as the world’s largest nutrition, health and wellness company, Nestlé believes it is time to invest in happier and healthier employees through health and wellness programmes.
“Creating health and wellness activities for employees highlight our purpose to enhance quality of life and contribute to a healthier future to support a more engaged and productive workforce – and also help to cut down on absenteeism, increase productivity and turnover, and as a result, enhance customer quality and satisfaction,” he added.
As part of the efforts aimed at investing in wellness at the workplace, action is already underway to tackle heart and other health issues, and so far, 75 percent of employers worldwide offer wellness resources, information and or a general wellness programme, as highlighted by the 2018 Employee Benefits Report from the Society for Human Resources Management – marking a change in promoting employee health and wellness.
Equally included in this program is to give employees opportunity to learn more about their health, and in turn, improve their lifestyle choices through the global initiative, ‘Know Your Numbers Programme’ (KYNP). According to company sources, this initiative was launched in 2017 in CWA, and again in 2019 as a reminder to all employees to always assess their current health status and set personal health goals, while also helping the company to better understand its employees and create health programmes.
After completing a short, online anonymous Health Risk Assessment (HRA), covering topics such as family health history, tobacco consumption, nutrition and stress, they are provided with an insight on their current health status and areas that need more attention. Employees can also use their previous biometric results – measuring a person’s physical and behavioural characteristics through blood pressure, weight, height and waist circumference – carried out in the past six months by a health care professional, to support their personalised HRA report.
Globally, Google has invested in a People & Innovation Lab (PiLab) to conduct research and think of unique ways to keep its employees healthy. In addition, its Googlers-to-Googlers programme encourages employees to teach other employees fitness practices to keep them healthy. Newmont Goldcorp has created the Military Veterans Programs and Support group in the United States to help employees connect and foster a sense of belonging. In Burkina Faso, Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale organises team sports and fitness sessions for its employees, twice a week. Telecel also leads football matches with other companies in the country, twice a week in a public square.
These are just a few examples to show how companies in the region and worldwide can all actively contribute to improving employee wellness and invest in healthy workplaces. Lending his voice to the development which is said is quite commendable, Mr. Gregoire Scilipoti, the Regional Head of Human Resources at Nestlé CWA said that employees are encouraged to take part in daily ‘wellness breaks’ at their offices across the region, urging them to move from their desks and combat sedentary behavior. He added that they are also getting involved in exercise sessions in the office led by fitness experts, including ‘Workout Thursdays’ in Ghana which was launched earlier this year, Zumba classes in Côte d’Ivoire, and training sessions with a fitness coach in Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Nigeria.“They can get active by using the fitness facilities at our Cameroon and Burkina Faso offices managed by a Wellness Committee. As an alternative, all our workers are offered discounted rates at local fitness centres nearby”, Mr. Scilipoti said.
Lending his voice to that, Gbede Koffi Tohonou, a junior financial accountant in Burkina Faso for the Nestlé Savanna Cluster said that “taking part in fitness sessions is helping me to get fit and healthy, invest in my own personal development and makes me feel part of the company,” On specific international days – such as World Heart Day on September 29 – employees are also offered nutrition advice and recommendations by experts at organised in-house events, and via internal communication messaging. In Ghana, Nestlé employees are able to enjoy ‘Fruity Tuesdays’, where a variety of fruits are offered to instill healthy eating habits and nutritious snacking.
The Nestlé Nutrition Line, a daily public service radio on nutrition, health and wellness which has been running for nearly 20 years, is still being broadcast in the Ghana office to provide employees with healthy living tips and advice. “Instilling a healthy living culture among employees and encouraging them to be ambassadors is very important,” said Philomena Tan, Managing Director for Nestlé Ghana.
“This all has value, as by improving the wellbeing of employees through such activities and wellness programmes, these can help to boost efficiency and productivity, benefit their families, our consumers and stakeholders to enhance quality of life and contribute to a healthier future,” she added.
Kelechi Deca
Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry.
