Responding to quest for meaning is guiding Nestlé’s new HR policy

Shifting the focus away from cultivating career development opportunities and a favourable working environment, a growing number of employees today want to join their employer in being active, engaged members of their community (1) and a force for good.

The food giant Nestlé has accordingly pledged to balance corporate social responsibility (CSR) and profit. After debuting a new employer branding campaign in France under the slogan “Place à l’action” (“Let’s Take Action”), the multinational company is supporting several employee engagement communities:

• “Nestlé C’est Vous” (“You Are Nestle”) brings together employees and managers committed to such matters as diversity, disability, sexual orientation and social origin

• “Je te don[NES]” (“I Give Back”) is for employees wishing to donate either a portion of their wages by rounding up their pay slip or some of their time and skills to Nestlé-supported non-profits

• “InGenius” provides passionate innovators with the opportunity to take part in ideation challenges to develop new products, processes or services across the Nestlé company

The purpose of “Nestlé Thinks YOUth” is to involve employees in strategic decision-making in a tangible way by allowing them to serve as in-house representatives. The programme is made up of two groups: a junior executive committee which discusses CSR-related decisions and makes alternative suggestions, and 13 ambassadors who keep company employees abreast of the initiative’s work.

¹ A survey conducted by EDHEC Business School in early 2021 found that 81% of young people view finding purpose through their work as an important factor in employee engagement.