As a global and multicultural company, Nestlé strives to create a business culture, environment and leadership structure that generates equal opportunities for everyone. Diversity and inclusion is an integral part of our company’s culture and is one of the ways we bring our purpose and values to life.

By François-Xavier Pithon, Talent & Learning Manager, Nestlé Switzerland

Nestlé values are rooted in respect: respect for ourselves, for each other, respect for diversity and respect for the future. We aim to embed diversity and inclusion across everything we do, focused on three core areas: culture, innovation and society. This involves building an inclusive culture that values the different talents and experiences of our employees, innovating to serve the needs of our diverse consumers and customers and engaging with society in the diverse markets where we operate.

Nestlé Gender Balance Acceleration Plan
Since 2008, gender diversity is a key priority for Nestlé. We believe that enhancing gender balance leads to better decisions, greater innovation and higher employee satisfaction. It is simply the right thing to do and a key component of our approach to diversity and inclusion. As such, we strive to create a workplace that provides equal opportunities for everyone. Nestlé has developed the Nestlé Gender Balance Acceleration Plan with specific actions. We believe that the combination of these actions has a positive impact on gender balance in all relevant areas from recruitment and retention right through to promotion of women to management. Specific actions include:

• 1. Supporting all managers to foster an inclusive workplace and ensuring that they are trained on unconscious bias.
  Example: We are running regular unconscious bias trainings for all managers in order to make sure diversity and inclusion is on top of their minds when they are in discussion with their teams.

• 2. Encouraging the use of Nestlé’s paid parental leave program and flexible work policies in place in all Nestlé operating companies.
  Example: This includes flexible working hours as well as the possibility of working away from the office (e.g. at home) or temporarily interrupting one’s career (sabbatical leave, family leave).

• 3. Enhancing mentoring and sponsorship programs to prepare high-potential women for senior executive positions.
  Example: Through our program “Women on the move” (WOM), we support young female talents through internal mentoring and coaching programs. We also leverage the offers of Advance to support women in their career development with skill building and networking events.

• 4. Hiring and promoting more women in senior executive positions.
  Example: We aim to increase the proportion of women in the group’s top 200 senior executive positions from around 20% currently to 30% by 2022. This target is a further step in Nestlé’s journey towards gender parity. We aim to achieve this thanks to all these actions, which are part of our Nestlé Gender Balance Acceleration Plan.

• 5. Reviewing results with senior leaders to promote gender balance and ensure progress.
  Example: We have at least one woman on the succession plan for every managerial position.

• 6. Continuing our efforts to champion equal pay and eliminate conditions that create gender pay gaps.
  Example: Even if the difference in salaries between men and women in similar positions at Nestlé Switzerland is already well below the tolerance level applicable in Switzerland, we are continuing our journey towards equal pay. In order to do that, we run regular internal analysis.

Efforts are paying off
We are very happy to see that our efforts are paying off and are becoming visible. In 2018, Nestlé was awarded the ‘Gender Equality Prize’ offered by the Conférence romande de l’égalité (www.egalite.ch) honoring its efforts for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. This prize is presented annually by the French-speaking business magazine BILAN. The selection criteria include childcare solutions, a flexible work environment which also applies to managerial positions, and a high proportion of women in managerial positions. More recently, Nestlé has been included in the 2019 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI).

Actively engaging with Advance
Furthermore, by joining the Advance Board in May 2019, Muriel Lienau, CEO of Nestlé Switzerland, has demonstrated her commitment to enhancing equal opportunities across the private sector and beyond. Muriel Lienau is a strong believer in a diverse and inclusive working environment. She will continue to actively advocate for a framework that provides equal opportunities for everyone in the Swiss society.