Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

People are at the heart of our business – no matter what they look like, who they love, or where they come from. A diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture has always been a part of Nestlé’s DNA and we are determined to continue to learn from one another and stay true to our commitment to build an organization that draws strength and inspiration from our differences.

Our commitments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are based on four key pillars: Driving Accountability and Leadership, Developing and Supporting Our Teams, Engaging Future Talent, and Acting in Our Communities.

We’re infusing DE&I measures of success into our performance processes and upskilling leaders and employees with the capabilities required to drive an inclusive culture.

We look to internal and external measures of success to assess our progress through activating internal analyses and seeking support from leading action groups, like the Human Rights Campaign, to report on our work. For example, at Nestlé USA we’ve made commitments to deepen our networks across the marketing industry and supply chain by continuing to spend millions of dollars supporting minority and women-owned businesses. For our own employees, we have implemented mandatory unconscious bias training across the business to further drive accountability.

Building a culture that empowers our people to grow and contribute is the foundation of our ongoing success. Our hybrid work model, coupled with several benefits designed for inclusivity, help employees from all walks of life develop their careers, while feeling personally supported.

Our gender-neutral Parent Support Policy applies to all kinds of families. Parents adopting a child up to the age of eighteen receive the same access to parental leave as those who have a biological child, and we provide additional support by helping eligible employees pay for adoption expenses.

All marriage benefits apply equally to opposite- and same-sex couples, including couples in domestic partnerships. We also offer unlimited financial support for medical costs to employees undergoing gender transition.

Embarking on a new career is challenging, and at Nestlé we’re working hard to create opportunities for the next generation of talented professionals from diverse backgrounds to begin their professional careers. To do this, we’ve launched several programs that drive deeper connection with diverse candidates looking to begin or change their career.

Our Diversity Leadership Symposium brings together students from a variety of backgrounds to interview for careers with Nestlé – the symposium is part networking, part learning, and part real interviews for upcoming opportunities. We’ve also expanded our recruitment outreach with HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), HACUs (Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities), Majority Minority schools and other Minority Serving Institutions. 

We created Nestlé Needs YOU to ensure thriving, resilient communities for future generations. This initiative spans our entire value chain, from the sourcing of raw materials to the manufacturing and distribution of our products. With sustainability and digitization at the core of what we do, Nestlé needs YOU prepares and empowers the next generation, regardless of their field or level of expertise, through three key pillars: employability, entrepreneurship, and agripreneurship.

Driving an inclusive culture doesn’t stop within our walls – we also have a responsibility to act in the communities we call home to drive a more equitable future. Alongside donating to organizations driving equity, we partner with organizations like the National Urban League to create engagement opportunities for our employees and to widen our talent funnel to ensure broader access to career opportunities.

At Nestlé USA we’re using our voice and our scale to drive change through actions such as:

• Donating to the National Urban League, a leading community-based organization dedicated to ending racial discrimination.
• Joining an open letter to congress in strong support of the Equality Act.
• Becoming a member of Virginia Competes - affirming a belief that workplaces and communities must be welcoming of LGBTQ people.

We also work with several charitable partners through our annual Employee Giving Campaign, and we’re continuing to evaluate our list of partners based on feedback from our Employee Resource Groups.

At Nestlé USA our Employee Resource Groups are a critical component of our diversity and inclusion strategy. These groups, created and led by employees going above and beyond their day-to-day roles, help foster an inclusive culture, connect important awareness topics and events to our people, and contribute directly to our communities and our business units.

Here are our currently active Employee Resource Groups: