Communities

At Nestlé, we’re working to help ensure thriving, resilient communities exist today and for generations to come. Our work with community-led organizations across the U.S. embodies this commitment, with activities ranging from employee volunteerism to food-forward partnerships to employability programs.

Our social impact efforts are focused on three primary areas: Leveraging the Power of Our Employees as a force for good in local communities; Increasing Access to Food by supporting community farming, food entrepreneurship, and emergency food systems; and strengthening the future workforce by Empowering the Next Generation. 

Our employees volunteer in local communities to give back to causes they are passionate about or have a personal connection to. From packing meals at foodbanks to constructing urban farms to supporting pollinator habitats, we're working on the ground to improve lives. All Nestlé employees have access to a digital platform to help them seamlessly discover and join opportunities that align with their interests. The Nestlé “Dollars for Doers” program matches volunteer time with grants to charities where eligible employees volunteer 20 or more hours per year. We also provide training and support to employees who want to lead projects that engage other employees in delivering tangible impact in their neighborhoods. 

Feeding America reports that more than 47 million people in the U.S. are food insecure. Access to affordable, nutritious food is a top priority for Nestlé across the globe; as the world’s largest food company, we believe we can use our scale to help tackle this issue in our local communities. To do this, we donate food and funding to Feeding America and its network of foodbanks across the U.S., as well as to charities that support community farms, food entrepreneurship, nutrition education, and more sustainable food systems. We also facilitate “skills-based” employee engagement and large-scale group projects to support local efforts within our communities.

Employability is a key ingredient of social development, especially for the next generation. Currently, the U.S. is experiencing high levels of job vacancies and skill gaps in key areas such as manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing. Fewer people are choosing farming as a career, leaving us with an aging supply chain that lacks diversity. And we know that the next generation is interested in entrepreneurship, with some studies reporting that Gen Z is 55% more likely to want to start a business than millennials.

Our Nestlé needs YOU initiative focuses on upskilling and expanding access to career resources for next generation talent – regardless of their field or level of experience – in three key pillars: employability, entrepreneurship and agripreneurship. This includes a free online platform to help anyone gain skills and certificates related to these topics and also win cash prizes and grants through product and business idea challenges and related competitions.