At FSG’s Shared Value Leadership Summit in May, FSG asked senior leaders to discuss their perspectives on shared value. The results were conversations offering distinct viewpoints on shared value’s role at each organization, as well as in broader society. In the first of four videos, Janet Voûte, Nestlé’s Global Head of Public Affairs and a founding member of the Shared Value Initiative’s Leadership Council, offers insight on shared value at Nestlé.
“[Nestlé’s commitment to shared value] starts in the CEO and Chairman’s office. Their commitment to shared value is undeniable but it goes all the way down to the agronomist in Northern Ghana who is teaching maize farmers better farming practices,” Janet says. Creating shared value is part of Nestlé’s DNA— the strategy of the world’s largest food and beverage company focuses on three issues that are intimately linked to its business model: nutrition, water, and rural development. Janet invites other companies to proactively look for those opportunities to create business value by addressing social needs that are specific to each company and its business. She adds that shared value is different – it is different from other ways in which businesses engage with society such as philanthropy or CSR precisely because it directly links creating value for society with business growth and innovation. Watch the short video below to learn more about Nestlé’s shared value strategy.
