Good Food, Good Life
Nestlé in society
Creating Shared Value and 
meeting our commitments 2017
Full report
Nestlé. Enhancing quality of life and 
contributing to a healthier future

A year of positive impact
Recognised by CDP as a global leader in tackling climate change 
and reducing carbon emissions across our supply chain. Nestlé 
was featured in CDP’s first-ever Supplier Engagement Ranking 
among 29 companies from over 3300 that were assessed.
Participated in the launch of the Food Reform for Sustainability 
and Health (FReSH) programme to promote healthy, enjoyable 
diets using food produced with respect for our planet.
Nestlé pledged to source only cage-free eggs by 2025. 
Nespresso invested in post-conflict Colombian coffee. 
Published Tackling Child Labour, our first report on child labour in 
the cocoa supply chain. It details our approach to this complex 
challenge and our work with partners on the ground to identify its 
causes and take remedial action.
Nestlé Pakistan, in collaboration with Lahore University of 
Management Sciences and WWF, launched a local Water Plan to 
promote sustainable agricultural techniques, and improve access 
to safe water and sanitation.
Nestlé Waters announced its enhanced collaboration with the 
Alliance for Water Stewardship, which will certify 20 factories to its 
global water stewardship standard by 2020. 
January
Joined 37 companies at the Second Pacific Alliance Youth Summit in 
Santiago, Chile to launch the  Alliance for YOUth in Latin America.
Maggi announced a renewal of its global product portfolio with 
simple, recognisable ingredients, as part of its Simply Good 
initiative to inspire and offer tastier, healthier choices. 
May
Nestlé Chairman Paul Bulcke was given the Concordia Leadership 
Award for 2017, for leading the company’s ongoing commitment 
to Creating Shared Value and supporting the UN’s SDGs.
Launched our global youth initiative, Nestlé needs YOUth, at the 
Private Sector Forum of the United Nations General Assembly 
in New York.
September
November
Nestlé Waters, through the NaturALL Bottle Alliance, 
announced a partnership with Danone and Origin Materials to 
develop a PET plastic bottle made from 100% sustainable and 
renewable resources.
Launched a series of Leading Together employee conferences 
to accelerate diversity and inclusion and help us reach our 
ambition to be a gender-balanced company by 2018. 
Announced our new 2020 commitments and long-term 
ambitions, in support of the 2030 United Nations Sustainable 
Development Goals (SDGs). 
March
October
Hosted the Planting the Seeds for the Future of Food conference 
in Vevey, Switzerland, to explore issues around agriculture, 
sustainability and nutrition.
July
For individuals and families
For our communities
For the planet
2
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Contents
Welcome to this 2017 Nestlé in society: Creating Shared Value 
report. Aimed at shareholders, stakeholders and other 
interested parties, this report shares detailed information 
about our issues, impacts and performance during 2017.
2	
A year of positive impact
4 	
A message from our Chairman 
and CEO
5	
Creating Shared Value
6 	
Framing our CSV approach
7 	
Brands with purpose
8 	
Global opportunities and challenges
10 	 Contributing to the global agenda
11 	 Collaborating for a positive impact
12 	 Our commitments and progress
100	 Business ethics and transparency
101	 Taxation
102	 Accountable and inclusive 
governance
103	 Product safety and quality
104	 The materiality process
105	 Materiality and the Sustainable 
Development Goals
106	 Responding to stakeholders
108	 Our key performance indicators 
111	
External recognition
112	 About this report
113	 Independent assurance statement
Where to find more information 
This document forms an integral part of Nestlé’s UN 
Global Compact (UNGC) Communication on 
Progress, together with:
Annual Review 2017
Nestlé. 
Enhancing quality of life 
and contributing 
to a healthier future.
Good Food, Good Life
Our reports are made available online at 
www.nestle.com/CSV, where you can also find: 
•	 More detailed information on our management 
approach and governance structure; 
•	 Additional information on human rights 
due diligence; 
•	 Our performance data; 
•	 Case studies; and 
•	 Additional audio and video content. 
Our Human Rights Reporting Framework and 
GRI Content Index are available as separate 
PDF downloads. 
The Nestlé in society 
section of our 
corporate website 
Our Annual Review
Our Corporate Business Principles are the basis of 
our company’s culture and are available as a 
PDF download.
Front cover: Our Nestlé Cocoa Plan in action
Nestlé in society
Reporting and governance
74 	 2017 highlights
75 	 Improving our environmental 
performance: our focus on water
76 	 Engaging on food loss and waste
77 	 Towards 100% renewable electricity
78 	 Moving forward in our 
own operations
79 	 Caring for water
87 	 Acting on climate change
91 	 Safeguarding the environment
For the planet
15 	 2017 highlights
16 	 Nestlé for Healthier Kids
17 	 Food for life 
18 	 Applying science for better health
20 	 Offering tastier and healthier choices
29 	 Inspiring people to lead 
healthier lives
40 	 Building, sharing and applying 
nutrition knowledge
For individuals and families
45 	 2017 highlights
46 	 Global youth initiative: 
Nestlé needs YOUth
47 	 Empowering the next generation 
of farmers
48 	 Understanding our human 
rights impacts
49 	 Supporting collective action 
in our Thai seafood supply chain
50 	 Rural development and 
enhancing livelihoods
59 	 Respecting and promoting human 
rights in our business activities
63 	 Promoting decent employment 
and diversity
For our communities
3
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

A message from our Chairman and CEO
We are pleased to share with you our 2017 Nestlé in society: 
Creating Shared Value full online report.
This year, we further integrated our public reporting on 
our financial and non-financial performance by including 
the highlights from our Nestlé in society report in our 
Annual Review, which is issued to our shareholders. We 
recognise that for our company to be successful over time 
and create sustainable value for shareholders we must 
also create value for society. This longer report provides 
greater detail on how we go about this, including our 
progress in meeting our 2020 public commitments and 
2030 ambitions. 
The world is changing fast, with consumer expectations, 
competition and society evolving at an unprecedented 
pace. While our company is anticipating and adapting to 
these changes, two important dimensions do not change – 
our purpose and our values. Our purpose is to enhance 
quality of life and contribute to a healthier future. Our 
values, rooted in respect, guide our decisions and actions. 
This is deeply anchored in Nestlé’s culture and reflected 
in our Corporate Business Principles and our Code of 
Business Conduct. 
We want to help shape a better, healthier future. This 
starts with supporting young people. In 2017, we 
regrouped and aligned our healthy kids initiatives to better 
support parents and caregivers on their journey to raise 
healthier children. We  also extended our Nestlé needs 
YOUth initiative globally to encompass our entire value 
chain and set out an ambition to help 10 million young 
people have access to economic opportunities by 2030.
In recognition of our work in contributing to the UN 
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through our 
Creating Shared Value approach, Nestlé received the 
Concordia Leadership Award. We have also renewed our 
commitment to the United Nations Global Compact. It 
promotes the principle of public–private collaborations in 
support of the SDGs. These efforts, among others, show 
that business has a vital role to play in building a better, 
more sustainable world for everyone.  
We look forward to your feedback on this report and on 
our progress towards meeting our 2020 commitments. 
Paul Bulcke
Chairman
Mark Schneider
Chief Executive Officer
4
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Maximising value creation
Through our CSV approach we aim to create value not 
only for shareholders but also for society. Our CSV impact 
areas are those areas where our business intersects most 
closely with society, and where we can create the most 
value and make the most difference. These include: 
•	 Nutrition, to enable healthier and happier lives for 
individuals and families, with a strong focus on infants 
and children; 
•	 Rural development, to help develop thriving and 
resilient communities, and support better livelihoods 
for those we live and work with; and
•	 Water, to address an issue of critical concern for the 
planet and a lynchpin of food security.
Our aim is to have a positive impact on society while we 
grow our business. We enable healthier and happier lives 
for individuals and families, we help develop thriving and 
resilient communities, and finally, we steward the planet’s 
natural resources for future generations.
To guide us, we have developed long‑term ambitions and 
specific commitments, against which we report our 
progress transparently each year. Essential to achieving 
our commitments is a robust approach to sustainability, 
human rights and compliance.
Our values
Creating Shared Value
We believe that our company will be successful in the long 
term by creating value for both our shareholders and for 
society as a whole. This approach, called Creating Shared 
Value (CSV), remains the fundamental guiding principle for 
how we do business. It enables us to bring our purpose to life: 
enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future.
Underpinning all our efforts are our values, which are 
rooted in respect: respect for ourselves, respect for others, 
respect for diversity and respect for the future. Guided by 
these values, we work alongside our partners and 
stakeholders to ensure that our approach to CSV continues 
to inform all our behaviours, policies and actions.
The business case for CSV
A long‑term approach to business has always been part of 
Nestlé’s DNA. Through CSV, we integrate sustainable 
development into business activities. This is increasingly 
important to long‑term investors. CSV brings business 
and society together by generating economic value in a 
way that also produces value for society. Foods and 
beverages with a nutrition, health and wellness dimension 
perform better. Rural development programmes for 
farmers offer commercial differentiation to consumers, 
while responsible stewardship of water reduces costs and 
secures supplies for our businesses.
Nestlé is one of a small number of corporations involved in 
the Embankment Project for Inclusive Capitalism which 
aims to encourage and measure long-term value creation.
Our material issues
Every two years, we invite an independent third party to 
conduct a formal materiality assessment. It helps us to 
identify the issues that matter most to our business and 
our stakeholders, and to better support our strategic 
decision‑making and reporting. Issues of concern are 
evaluated to determine both risks and opportunities for 
our reputation, revenues and costs.
	 Read more about the investor benefits of our work 
with individuals and families, in our communities 
and the planet 
Protect the future
Laws, business 
principles, codes 
of conduct
Nutrition, water, 
rural development, 
our focus areas
Sustainability
Compliance
Creating 
Shared Value
5
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Enabling healthier and 
happier lives 
Our 2030 ambition is to 
help 50 million children 
lead healthier lives

Offering tastier and 
healthier choices
Inspiring people to 
lead healthier lives
Building, sharing and applying 
nutrition knowledge
Related CSV impact area
    Nutrition
Helping develop thriving, 
resilient communities 
Our 2030 ambition is to 
improve 30 million 
livelihoods in communities 
directly connected to our 
business activities
Rural development and 
enhancing rural livelihoods
Respecting and promoting 
human rights
Promoting decent employment 
and diversity
Related CSV impact areas
  
     Rural development
    Human rights
    Our people
Stewarding resources for 
future generations
Our 2030 ambition is to strive 
for zero environmental impact 
in our operations

Caring for water 
Acting on climate change
Safeguarding our environment
Related CSV impact areas
     Water
    Environmental sustainability
For individuals 
and families
Our commitments
Our values
For our 
communities
For the 
planet
	 See page 74
	 See page 45
	 See page 15
Framing our CSV approach
We have 41 commitments to hold ourselves publicly accountable for our 
performance, and we report our progress against them every year. All our 
public commitments are directly aligned with our corporate purpose and 
the majority are supported by specific objectives towards 2020. 
	 See our progress against our commitments
Underpinning all our efforts are our company values, rooted in respect: 
respect for ourselves, respect for others, respect for diversity and respect 
for the future.
	 Find out more about business ethics
	 Please see our feature stories, which demonstrate how we bring our purpose to life for 
individuals and families, our communities and the planet
Our purpose: enhancing quality of life 
and contributing to a healthier future
6
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Brands with purpose
Every day, our brands enhance quality of life and contribute to 
a healthier future for individuals and families, for our 
communities and for the planet.
Our Feeding Infants and Toddlers 
Study (FITS) in the US, found that 
30% of older infants and toddlers 
eat very few or no vegetables 
each day. In 2017, as a result of 
our research, we launched 
Gerber Grabbers Strong Veggies 
Squeezable Puree, a nutritious 
snack providing one serving of 
vegetables (the first ingredient) 
and three-quarters of a serving 
of a fruit.
Over the past few years, as part 
of a UK Government initiative, 
Purina has been looking at how 
pouches can be recycled. FelixTM 
pet food pouches were recycled 
in households across three 
towns and eventually turned into 
new materials – the aluminium 
into metal products and the 
plastic into reusable oil.
The long-term relationship 
with the coffee producers has 
been put at the centre of the 
2017 Nespresso consumer 
campaign. ‘The choices we 
make’ tells the story of the 
company investments into the 
community mill built in Jardín, 
Colombia, and the economic, 
social and environmental benefits 
it delivered. Globally, over 75 000 
farmers in 12 countries are part of 
the Nespresso AAA Sustainable 
QualityTM Program which 
embeds sustainable agricultural 
practices on farms and 
surrounding landscapes. 
Gerber Grabbers 
Strong Veggies 
Squeezable Puree 
Nespresso ‘The choices 
we make’
Packaging improvement 
by FelixTM 
Milo launched a low-sugar, 
ready-to-drink beverage for 
active kids in Thailand. In 
support, the Milo sports 
programme encourages a 
balanced diet and active lifestyle 
for children aged 6 to 12 years. 
The in-school scheme reaches 
more than one million children in 
1000 schools throughout the 
country each year. 
Exploring transport options that 
lower emissions, Nestlé Waters 
converted 8% of its fleet in Italy 
from diesel to gas-powered 
vehicles at the start of 2017. 
Nestlé Waters North America is 
also introducing alternative fuels 
to reduce its carbon footprint, 
switching 589 ReadyRefresh 
delivery vehicles to propane 
gas by October 2017. 
Dairy 4 You is an initiative that 
helps us to continuously improve 
our sourcing and share information 
with consumers about our dairy 
products. This is incorporated into 
our brand messaging – such as 
with Nido in Chile and Ecuador in 
2017 – we are more open and 
transparent to consumers about 
the animal welfare standards in 
our supply chain. 
	 Read more about brands with purpose in our Annual Report
	 See our Brands section on Nestlé.com for more information
Milo
Dairy 4 You 
Nestlé Waters
7
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Over- and under-nutrition
In 2016, around 815 million people 
lacked access to adequate nutrition 
(Food and Agricultural Organization). 
According to the World Health 
Organization, much of the world’s 
population suffers from deficiencies 
in essential vitamins and minerals, 
including an estimated 2 billion 
people who suffer from iron-
deficient anaemia, and around 
45% deaths in children under 5 years 
of age are associated with under-
nutrition. Millions more people 
over-consume foods and beverages 
high in sugar, salt and fat, increasing 
the prevalence of obesity in 
developed and developing countries.
Increasing personalisation
There is a growing appetite for 
premium, authentic experiences and 
high-end, indulgent products and 
services. Nutrition is also becoming 
increasingly personalised, with 
ranges designed to meet the 
nutritional needs of infants, seniors, 
those with medical conditions – 
even pets. 
Changing consumer expectations
The demand for more natural and 
organic foods and beverages without 
artificial colours and flavours is 
growing, as is the market for 
products free from lactose, gluten 
and sugar. Vegetarian and flexitarian 
diets, where consumers opt to eat 
less meat-based protein in favour 
of vegetarian alternatives, are also 
on the rise. 
Lifestyle changes
In today’s hectic world, finding the 
time to exercise and eat a balanced 
diet can be challenging. People are 
increasingly ‘time poor’, and often 
look for food to consume on the go 
or prepare quickly. Even those 
motivated to follow a healthy lifestyle 
can easily be confused by conflicting 
advice and health messages.
Human rights
Millions of people are negatively 
affected by human rights abuses, 
not least in areas of war and conflict. 
The refugee crisis, and the resulting 
surge in migrant labour, remains a 
major challenge, and a root cause of 
key issues such as child and forced 
labour in the agricultural sector.
Sustainable agriculture
Globally, changes in consumption 
patterns and dietary preferences 
for animal protein are significantly 
increasing demand for feed and 
fodder. Agriculture must therefore 
produce more food of better 
quality while using less water and 
other resources.
Rural development
Demand for food is growing, but 
farmers face many challenges in 
meeting that need, due to poor 
farming practices, ageing or 
diseased plants, women’s lack of 
empowerment, and low levels of 
nutrition and sanitation. These can 
be exacerbated by the increasing 
pressure on arable land from other 
crops. As a result, many farmers live 
on low incomes, making farming a 
less desirable career option for the 
next generation.
Youth employability
Youth unemployment is a serious 
issue across the world, affecting 
an estimated 71 million people 
in 2017, according to the 
International Labour Organization. 
Work and training opportunities 
help alleviate poverty and provide 
our sector with new talent.
Water scarcity
Water resources are unevenly 
distributed across the planet: 
1.1 billion people lack access to 
water, and 2.7 billion find water 
scarce for at least one month a year 
(WWF). Access to clean drinking 
water and adequate sanitation 
remains a significant challenge 
in many countries.
Population growth and urbanisation
The world’s population is growing, 
driving up consumption and putting 
pressure on precious natural 
resources, including water. The 
general trend towards living in urban 
areas also threatens the pipeline of 
farmers needed to produce enough 
food for us all.
Food waste and loss 
If food waste was a country, it would 
be the world’s third-largest carbon 
emitter (Food and Agriculture 
Organization). About a third of global 
food production is wasted or lost every 
year. This affects farmer income, as 
well as the cost and availability of food.
Climate change 
Our industry relies on a sustainable 
supply of ingredients, but climate 
change is impacting the food and 
beverage sector. Shifting weather 
patterns are affecting when and 
where crops can be grown.
Declining natural capital 
Globally, we consume 1.6 times what 
our planet naturally provides (Global 
Footprint Network). Natural habitats 
are shrinking because of this demand 
for raw materials, as well as climate 
change and the growing population. 
Forests, grasslands and wetlands 
continue to be converted into urban 
and agricultural use. 
For individuals 
and families
For our 
communities
For the 
planet
Global opportunities and challenges
Our world is affected by a wide range of global megatrends. 
In turn, these have influenced the development of our CSV 
approach and our 2030 ambitions.
8
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

We have contributed to the Social Capital Protocol, actively developing methodological approaches 
to measure social issues. During 2017, we published a white paper that sets out a methodology for 
valuing our contribution to society through employment created along a value chain. We used living 
wage as the benchmark for demonstrating value.
Valuing our contribution to society
Our material issues
Rural development and 
poverty alleviation
Responsible sourcing 
and traceability
Food and nutrition security
Animal welfare
Human rights
Our priorities and actions
We work with farmers and 
partners around the world to 
build responsible and resilient 
supply chains. 
They supply us with the 
agricultural raw materials 
we need to make our foods 
and beverages, so it is in our 
interest to support the 
sustainable development 
of their businesses, and the 
rural areas where they work.
Our material issues
Water stewardship
Water, sanitation and hygiene
Climate change
Natural resource stewardship
Resource efficiency, (food) 
waste and circular economy
Fair employment and 
youth employability
Women’s empowerment
Employee safety, health 
and wellness
Business ethics
Our priorities and actions
Our operations continually 
strive to use less energy. 
Fewer resources generate 
less waste and create 
fewer emissions. 
We also strive to offer fair 
employment and work with 
integrity, openness and 
respect for people.
Our material issues
Over- and under-nutrition
Food and product safety
Responsible marketing 
and influence
Our priorities and actions
We are committed to helping 
consumers eat well, follow 
active lifestyles and consume 
our products sustainably.
Stage 1
Agricultural supply chain
Stage 2
Manufacturing
Stage 3
Retail and consumers
Our value chain
These global trends cut across our sphere of influence and span our entire value chain. See how these issues 
have informed our priorities and actions below.
	 Read more about our material issues
9
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Driven by our company purpose, we have defined three 
main impact areas, which guide us towards achieving our 
2020 commitments, and three 2030 ambitions that 
support the achievement of the SDGs. These recognise 
that we live in an interconnected world in which our 
futures are inextricably linked. 
Integrating the SDGs into our CSV approach has enabled 
us to identify those where we can create a positive impact – 
or at the very least, mitigate a negative impact. In 2016, 
we also mapped our material issues against the goals to 
see where our activities are best placed and most able to 
contribute, both directly and indirectly, towards their aims. 
	 View the mapping here
Contributing to the global agenda
We frame our Creating Shared Value (CSV) approach closely 
with the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable 
Development. Having helped to shape the 17 Sustainable 
Development Goals (SDGs), we – and many companies like 
us – are working hard to achieve them. 
In 2017, we focused on integrating the SDGs into 
key partnerships and global initiatives, such as 
Nestlé for Healthier Kids, Nestlé needs YOUth and our 
approach to water stewardship. We indicate where these, 
and other activities, support particular SDGs throughout 
this report, and summarise our overall contribution to the 
global agenda online.
We remain committed to leveraging our scale to make 
progress towards the UN’s ambitious 2030 agenda, and our 
own 2030 ambitions. But we cannot do it alone. Achieving 
the SDGs will only be possible through effective and 
dynamic partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders. 
Published in September 2017, a report from United Nations Development Programme Philippines and the Philippine 
Business for the Environment details how the private sector contributes locally to the SDGs. Amongst other 
initiatives, the report features Nestlé’s Micronutrient Fortification efforts through popular products, our Healthy Kids 
programme that we have in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition 
Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) and our responsible coffee farming activities in the Philippines.
The report is the first of its kind in the Philippines and showcases the preliminary results of an online voluntary 
reporting process and in-depth research on how businesses are aligning their core business processes, activities 
and initiatives with the SDGs.
	 Read a report and an article about the Philippines’ contribution to the SDGs
Contributing to the SDGs: the example of the Philippines
10
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Our main partnerships and collaborations
EpiGen Global Research Consortium (EpiGen) 
In one of the largest public–private partnerships of its kind, 
we are looking at the impact of nutrition and lifestyle on 
maternal and infant health as part of the EpiGen Global 
Research Consortium (EpiGen). Through EpiGen’s NiPPeR 
study, we are exploring whether micronutrient supplements 
taken before conception and during pregnancy improve 
the health of mothers and their babies. 
	 Read more about our collaboration with EpiGen
Responsible Sourcing partners
As part of our Responsible Sourcing programme, we work 
with implementation partners in the countries where we 
source our ingredients. By bringing their technical 
expertise in agricultural supply chains, these partners help 
us to ensure that the work we do on the ground has the 
greatest positive impact on our sourcing communities and 
their local environments. We work we partners including 
TFT, ProForest, Verité and the Fair Labor Association 
(FLA) across all 12 global priority commodities. You can 
read more about our partnerships with these 
organisations and work that we are doing together in the 
Responsible Sourcing section.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red 
Crescent Societies (IFRC)
We have worked with the IFRC in Africa for 15 years, in 
support of its Global Water and Sanitation Initiative to 
improve access to safe water and sanitation to 30 million 
people by 2030. Our efforts focus on assisting the rural 
communities in the cocoa-growing regions of Côte 
d’Ivoire and Ghana and, more recently, the communities 
around our bottled water factories in Ethiopia, helping 
them gain greater access to clean water and sanitation. 
Our 10 years of collaboration in Côte d’Ivoire has been 
summarised in a recent report.
	 Read more about our work with the IFRC
	 Learn more about our partnerships
Collaborating for a positive impact
As a global company, Nestlé faces a wide range of complex 
challenges, from obesity to child labour to climate change. 
We cannot tackle these alone but, through collective action 
and partnerships, we are better placed to contribute more 
effectively and maximise what can be achieved. 
Working with the United Nations Global Compact
The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) is a strategic 
policy initiative for businesses committed to aligning their 
operations and strategies with 10 universally accepted 
principles covering human rights, labour, environment 
and anti-corruption. Our Corporate Business Principles 
incorporate the 10 UNGC Principles, and we reflect the 
concepts of fairness, honesty and respect for people and 
the environment in our actions. 
As a member of the UNGC’s leadership platform, LEAD, 
Nestlé continues to further its work towards advancing 
the integration of sustainability principles into our core 
business operations. Through LEAD, we are also able to 
deepen our efforts and commitments to answer to the call 
to action made by the SDGs.
In 2017, we participated in several UNGC Action 
Platforms, advancing responsible business activities that 
support the UN SDGs:
•	 We contributed to the Blueprint for Business 
Leadership Platform, inspiring businesses to apply five 
leadership qualities to create positive impact at scale; 
•	 In helping develop a comprehensive inventory of 
indicators for each SDG for the Business Reporting 
Platform, we have taken a major step towards a single 
framework with a common set of indicators; and
•	 Through the Breakthrough Innovation Challenge, we 
developed bagzielicious, a prototype app that allows 
consumers to manage their groceries, prepare healthy 
meals and decrease food waste. This was unveiled at 
the UNGC Leaders Summit in September 2017. 
	 Read more about our engagement with the UNGC
The award was presented at the ‘Business 
Sustainability Moot and Annual General Meeting of 
Global Compact Network Pakistan’, organised in 
collaboration with the Employers’ Federation of 
Pakistan on 28 February 2018 
in Karachi. This is the second time in a row; in 2016, 
Nestlé Pakistan was awarded the first prize as well in 
the category ‘Living the Global Compact Business 
Excellence 2014–15’. Winning this prestigious award 
twice in a row signifies Nestlé Pakistan’s continuous 
commitment towards its purpose of enhancing 
quality of life and contributing to a healthier future, in 
complete alignment with the SDGs.
Nestlé Pakistan won First Prize for ‘Living the UN 
Global Compact (UNGC) Business Sustainability 
Award 2017’, in the Multinational Category. 
11
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Our 2020 commitments and progress
Our commitments hold us publicly accountable for our 
performance, and we report on them every year. The table 
below shows both our current progress against them, and where 
we still strive to do more. All commitments are directly aligned 
with our business and our 2030 ambitions, and many directly 
support the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 
  Achieved
  In progress
2020 Commitment
Status
More 
information
Offering tastier and healthier choices 
Launch more foods and beverages that are nutritious, especially for mothers-to-be, 
new mothers and infants and children 
 
Page 21
Further decrease sugars, sodium and saturated fat
Page 23
Increase vegetables, fibre-rich grains, pulses, nuts and seeds in our foods and beverages
 
Page 25
Simplify our ingredients list and remove artificial colours
Page 26
Address under-nutrition through micronutrient fortification
Page 27
Inspiring people to lead healthier lives 
Apply and explain nutrition information on packs, at point of sale and online
Page 30
Offer guidance on portions for our products 
Page 31
Leverage our marketing efforts to promote healthy cooking, eating and lifestyles
Page 33
Empower parents, caregivers and teachers to foster healthy behaviours in children 
Page 34
Market to children only choices that help them achieve a nutritious diet 
 Achieved
Page 35
Support breastfeeding and protect it by continuing to implement an industry-leading 
policy to market breast-milk substitutes responsibly 
Page 36
Inspire people to choose water to lead healthier lives
 
Page 38
Partner for promoting healthy food environments
Page 39
Building, sharing and applying nutrition knowledge 
Build and share nutrition knowledge from the first 1000 days through to healthy ageing 
Page 41
Build biomedical science leading to health-promoting products, personalised nutrition 
and digital solutions 
Page 43
For individuals 
and families
Key
You can find each commitment explained in detail on the page indicated above. A full overview of our key performance 
indicators (KPIs) is provided at the end of this report.
12
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

2020 Commitment
Status
More 
information
Rural development and enhancing livelihoods
Roll-out of rural development baseline assessments to understand the 
needs of farmers
 Achieved
Page 52
Improve farm economics among the farmers who supply us
Page 53
Improve food availability and dietary diversity among the farmers who supply us
Page 54
Implement responsible sourcing in our supply chain and promote animal welfare
Page 55
Continuously improve our green coffee supply chain 
Page 56
Roll out the Nestlé Cocoa Plan with cocoa farmers
Page 57
Respecting and promoting human rights across our business activities 
Assess and address human rights impacts across our business activities
Page 60
Improve workers’ livelihoods and protect children in our agricultural supply chain
Page 61
Enhance a culture of integrity across the organisation
Page 62
Promoting decent employment and diversity 
Roll out our Nestlé needs YOUth initiative across our operations
Page 64
Provide training on Corporate Business Principles, nutrition and 
environmental sustainability
 Achieved
Page 65
Enhance gender balance in our workforce and empower women across the 
entire value chain
Page 66
Advocate for healthy workplaces and healthier employees 
Page 68
Provide effective grievance mechanisms to employees and stakeholders
Page 73
 For our 
communities
Key
  Achieved
  In progress
You can find each commitment explained in detail on the page indicated above. A full overview of our key performance 
indicators (KPIs) is provided at the end of this report.
13
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

2020 Commitment
Status
More 
information
Caring for water 
Work to achieve water efficiency and sustainability across our operations
Page 80
Advocate for effective water policies and stewardship
Page 81
Treat the water we discharge effectively
 Achieved
Page 83
Engage with suppliers, especially those in agriculture 
Page 84
Raise awareness on water conservation and improve access to water and sanitation 
across our value chain 
Page 85
Acting on climate change 
Provide climate change leadership
Page 88
Promote transparency and proactive, long-term engagement in climate policy
Page 90
Safeguarding the environment 
Assess and optimise the environmental impact of our products
 Achieved
Page 92
Improve the environmental performance of our packaging
Page 93
Reduce food loss and waste
Page 95
Provide meaningful and accurate environmental information and dialogue
Page 96
Preserve natural capital, including forests 
Page 97
For the 
planet
You can find each commitment explained in detail on the page indicated above. A full overview of our key performance 
indicators (KPIs) is provided at the end of this report.
Key
  Achieved
  In progress
14
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

For individuals 
and families
Inspired by our founder, Henri Nestlé, and with nutrition at our 
core, we work closely with partners to offer foods, beverages 
and services that enable healthier and happier lives. We have 
set clear commitments and meaningful objectives to make our 
portfolio even tastier and more nutritious, inspire consumers 
to live well, and develop and share our understanding of the 
connection between nutrition and health. 
Our 2030 ambition is to help 50 million children lead 
healthier lives. 
Investor benefits
The market for healthier foods and beverages is growing. Products with a nutrition, health and wellness (NHW) dimension 
perform better financially and resonate deeply with consumers. Our portfolio means we are well placed to seize this growing 
and evolving opportunity. Nestlé foods and beverages with an above-average NHW dimension demonstrate growth rates 
1.8 times higher than those that are below average and are 1.5 times more profitable.
Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals
	 Read more about how we are helping individuals and families
Building, sharing and 
applying nutrition knowledge
because through our nutrition 
knowledge and research findings, 
we can make a positive 
contribution to society and help 
address some of today’s key public 
health and nutrition challenges.
2017 highlights
Published 313 peer-reviewed scientific 
papers on FITS and KNHS studies focused 
on the dietary intakes of babies and children
Launched the first infant formula with two 
human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), 
which support infants’ immune systems 
and promote healthy gut flora 
1.724 billion Swiss francs invested in 
research and development
Nestlé Health Science launched our Boost 
nutritional drink range in China, Japan, 
the Philippines and Mexico to support 
healthy ageing 
Inspiring people to lead 
healthier lives 
because we are nurturing a 
healthy generation by giving 
individuals and families the best 
start in life and supporting them 
through all stages of life.
2017 highlights
14.4 million children meaningfully 
reached across the world through our 
Nestlé for Healthier Kids programme
89.4% of our foods and beverages display 
Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) labels on the 
front of pack in countries where labelling 
regulations allow
CHF 40.1 billion sales of products 
providing Portion Guidance 
81 countries participating in Nestlé for 
Healthier Kids
Offering tastier and 
healthier choices 
because we want to encourage 
healthy diets and reduce 
malnutrition in all its forms, 
from under- to over-nutrition.
2017 highlights
174 billion servings of fortified foods 
and beverages in 66 countries with higher 
vulnerability to micronutrient malnutrition*
1041 new nutritious products launched, 
that address daily needs and gaps as per 
children intake studies
8438 products per year* renovated for 
nutrition or health considerations
Over half of our products currently 
follow the WHO’s 5% conditional 
recommendation for sugar intake
* 2012–2016 average.
	 From page 40
	 From page 29
	 From page 20
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
15
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Nestlé for Healthier Kids 
Today, more than 40 million children 
under five years of age are considered 
overweight or obese, and almost 
155 million are stunted due to under-
nutrition*. This calls for action. 
At Nestlé, we believe that by helping 
new generations eat and drink better 
and exercise more, we will enhance 
quality of life and contribute to a 
healthier future.
In 2017, we brought together our United for Healthier 
Kids and Nestlé Healthy Kids Global Programme under 
one name: Nestlé for Healthier Kids. This initiative 
brings together all our efforts to support parents and 
caregivers on their journey to raise healthy children. 
From leading research and product formulation to 
education, innovative nutrition and services, our 
ambition is to help 50 million children lead healthier 
lives by 2030. In 2017, our initiative reached 
14.4 million children. 
We are helping parents raise healthier children 
in three ways:
•	 Understanding children’s nutritional gaps – 
All Nestlé for Healthier Kids activities are supported 
by scientific evidence. On pages 41–42, you can 
read about our Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study 
(FITS) and our Kids Nutrition and Health Study 
(KNHS), which uncover insights about the eating 
patterns and nutritional intake of infants and 
toddlers from birth to age four, and children 
aged 4–12 respectively. 
•	 Offering tastier and healthier choices to families – 
Every year, we sell over 360 billion servings of foods 
and beverages in 150 countries around the world. 
To ensure our brands support a healthier journey, 
we have made forward-looking commitments to 
reduce sodium, sugars and saturated fats, and add 
healthy ingredients like fibre-rich grains, vegetables 
and micronutrients to our foods and beverages. We 
increasingly use recognisable ingredients through 
our ‘Kitchen Cupboard’ approach to recipe 
development, accelerating the removal of artificial 
additives, flavours and colours that parents are 
seeking to avoid in children’s diets. Read more 
from page 20.
•	 Inspiring families to raise healthier kids – 
Adopting strong nutrition and hydration habits from 
an early age is essential to becoming a healthy adult. 
From page 29, you can read about how we aim to 
foster healthier behaviours from the start of life to 
adolescence, by supporting parents, teachers and 
caregivers with nutrition education programmes. 
We also leverage our brand efforts to inspire parents 
to raise healthier kids by promoting healthy cooking 
and hydration, balanced breakfasts, guidance on 
portions and sport. For example, Maggi’s ‘Simply 
Good’ initiative helps millions of families cook tasty 
and balanced everyday meals, with the fresh 
ingredients they love. 
These brand-specific activities positively contribute 
towards our ambition to help 50 million children lead 
healthier lives.
Milo encourages children to exercise
Milo has been inspiring kids around the world to 
get active for over 50 years. Through coaching 
and grassroots sports events, over 22 million 
children benefit from Milo’s programmes each 
year. Our new partnership with FC Barcelona 
takes this to a new level, inspiring millions more 
to practise sport.
Made with simple ingredients such as milk, malt 
barley, sugar and cocoa, our Milo range delivers 
the nutritious energy that children need to be 
active. Our commitment is to gradually decrease 
the added sugars and deliver at least 12 billion 
fortified cups of Milo by 2020.
* UNICEF, WHO and the World Bank Group
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
16
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Food for life
Our foods and beverages 
are for those everyday 
moments, for life.
The kitchen is the heart of family 
life, and we are proud that Nestlé 
foods can be found in so many 
kitchens around the globe. 
Whether it is busy parents making 
lunches for their school-aged 
children or elderly couples 
enjoying a leisurely prepared 
meal, throughout life, Nestlé can 
be found at the heart of these 
everyday, but precious, moments.
Parents want only the best for their little ones. 
From the first time a mother breastfeeds  
her newborn to a baby’s first taste of solid 
food, feeding time creates an incredible  
bond of love. 
As our children grow, mealtimes become 
more than just nourishment. They are 
valuable opportunities to connect, share 
experiences and bring families together. 
Creating memorable mealtime experiences  
is an ambition we all want to achieve. 
Nurturing and nourishing 
We understand the emotional as well as 
physical power of food, and that nurturing 
and nourishing go hand in hand.
For newborn babies, we actively support 
exclusive breastfeeding until six months of 
age, and introducing nutritious solids along 
with continued breastfeeding up to two years 
and beyond. For mothers who are not able or 
choose not to breastfeed, we offer our 
high-quality range of infant formulas. 
To help parents feed their growing children 
well, we are increasing the amount of 
vegetables in our offerings, and our ‘Whole 
Grain Tick’ helps parents easily identify 
Nestlé cereals containing at least 8 g of whole 
grain per serving. 
We are also passionate about helping people 
age well and continue to develop nutritional 
supplements like Boost, made specifically for 
the health needs of ageing adults, with proven, 
benefit-driven ingredients and nutrients.
On the other hand, our Purina colleagues are 
all about another family’s favourites: pets. 
They were the first to create a high protein/
low carbohydrate therapeutic diet for the 
nutritional management of cats with 
diabetes. And the first dry dog food brand  
to use real meat as the #1 ingredient.
With you for life
Whether it is our range of aromatic coffees, 
healthy and convenient meals, or even an 
occasional indulgent treat, we want to help 
you make consistently good food choices to 
assist you and your family on the journey to 
good health.
Our foods and beverages are there for you,  
for life.
	 Read more about our commitments  
for individuals and families from  
page 20 onwards
17
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Applying science 
for better health
Every day, our scientists come to 
work determined to uncover 
more about our bodies and our 
health, to make Nestlé’s foods, 
beverages and nutritional 
solutions even better.
More and more people understand the link 
between what they eat and their health and 
well-being. We know that people want 
products they can feel good about and trust, 
and for decades we have been responding, 
guided by our Nutrition, Health and 
Wellness (NHW) strategy. 
Today, we use the power of science in  
three exciting ways: to fulfil people’s desire 
to reconnect with nature; to deliver better 
nutrition in an even tastier way; and to  
find breakthrough solutions that help 
improve health.
Helping you reconnect with nature
When we select our recipes and prepare our 
dishes, we work to press nature’s ‘pause 
button’ on ingredients when they are at their 
peak of perfection. We use science to lock in 
taste and nutrition, responding to consumer 
demand by helping people reconnect with 
nature in a safe, tasty and meaningful way. 
We maximise our extensive research and 
development network to bring back what 
we call the ‘clean label’. This includes using 
more familiar ingredients like whole grains 
and vegetables, and finding alternatives  
to high intensity sweeteners, emulsifiers 
and additives. 
As more people learn about the health and 
social benefits of a plant-based diet, many 
individuals are looking for vegetarian or 
vegan alternatives. We have 52 scientists 
worldwide who are dedicated to exploring 
plant-based protein sources such as soya, 
pulses, rice, oats and potato. As a result, we 
are developing new offerings such as soya 
nuggets, and all-natural almond and coconut 
milk creamers. 

continued  
18
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Better nutrition for you and your family
We are developing breakthrough solutions 
to make our foods and beverages even 
healthier and tastier, increasing their 
nutritional value and using less sodium, 
saturated fat and sugar. 
Our scientists are even finding ways to  
do this with some of our favourite 
confectionery. For example, by increasing 
the milk content of our Milky Bar range  
from 26% to 37.5% we will take out almost 
350 tonnes of sugar and 130 million calories 
from UK public consumption. 
By complementing new science with the 
expertise of our in-house chefs, we stay at  
the cutting edge of culinary nutrition.
Our scientists have now gone one step 
further and made a ground-breaking 
discovery related to sugar structure, which 
will help us reduce sugar content in even 
more of our foods and beverages.
Nutritional solutions for health challenges
Through our fortified foods and beverages, as 
well as consumer healthcare, we are helping 
people take control of their health at a time 
when healthcare costs are increasing around 
the world. For example, disease-specific  
medical nutrition means we can support  
ageing people with diabetes management  
or other specific needs.
Our unique study with the EpiGen Global 
Research Consortium (EpiGen) is leading 
research linking the mother’s nutrition and 
health influence to the future health of her 
baby. It has shown that maternal obesity 
and/or high glucose levels in pregnancy 
increase the risk of health problems in 
babies later in life. By following women  
even before conception until the child is two 
years of age, this study will provide new 
knowledge on the impact of pre-conception 
nutrition. This cutting-edge research will 
help us improve our nutritional supplements 
to help mothers-to-be improve their health 
and that of their children. 
Positively impacting lives 
Our scale means we have a unique 
opportunity to deliver beyond our financial 
targets, and deliver social value as well. We 
know that the work we do in this area can 
have a big impact on people’s health and 
well-being. 
This is at the heart of our purpose: 
Enhancing quality of life and contributing  
to a healthier future.
	 Read more about our commitments  
for individuals and families from  
page 20 onwards
Using the power of science, we are 
unlocking nature’s secrets to make 
our foods and beverages healthier. 
19
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Across the world, millions of people lack 
access to the right nutrition, and millions 
more over-consume calories and nutrients 
of concern. Tackling public health 
challenges on such a vast scale requires 
governments, public health authorities, 
industry and civil society to work together. 
We use our R&D network, our nutrition 
expertise and our brands to encourage 
healthy diets and address malnutrition in 
all its forms. 
Why offering tastier and healthier choices matters
Around 793 million people worldwide lack access to 
adequate foods (Food and Agriculture Organization), 
and about one-third of the global population suffer from 
deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals (WHO). 
Our studies indicate that children around the world are not 
consuming enough fibre-rich plant foods such as whole 
grains or vegetables, and a large proportion have 
insufficient calcium and vitamin D in their diets. We 
know that the elderly or people living with a severe 
intolerance, like coeliac disease, are also susceptible 
to insufficient nutrition.
While under-nutrition is a serious challenge, millions more 
people over-consume foods and beverages that are high 
in nutrients of concern, such as sugar and fat. In 2014, 
over 1.9 billion adults were overweight, and 600 million 
of these were obese (WHO). Around 41 million children 
under five are considered overweight or obese (WHO). 
Our contribution to providing tastier and 
healthier choices
Our consumer-focused efforts support Sustainable 
Development Goal (SDG) 2, to end hunger and achieve 
food security for all, and SDG 3, to reduce the prevalence 
of non-communicable diseases. We work with partners to 
support these goals, help address all forms of malnutrition 
and encourage healthy diets. In 2017, at a high-level 
meeting organised by the EU Presidency, Nestlé UK’s CEO 
openly advocated for both voluntary initiatives and 
regulation to help in the fight against childhood obesity.
At times, it might seem as if we are not moving fast 
enough, but we want to get this process right. Good 
nutrition should always taste good, or consumers will 
simply buy less-healthy alternatives.
	 Read more about how we are offering tastier and 
healthier choices
Continuously raising the bar in progress monitoring
Based on learnings of over 10 years, Nestlé is further 
automating its progress monitoring. Datasets for 
some 2017 KPIs evolved with new IT systems and 
stronger ambitions. Footnotes indicate where there
are such adjustments. 
Our work on offering tastier and healthier choices 
contributes to the following SDGs:
Offering tastier and 
healthier choices
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
20
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Tailoring our products to meet daily nutritional needs
Ever since our company’s beginnings, with Henri Nestlé’s 
special formula for infants who could not be breastfed, 
we have been keen to bring tasty, convenient solutions 
to parents looking to feed their children a nutritious diet. 
Our dietary intake and eating pattern studies of babies 
and children up to age 12 are now further helping our 
nutritionists and product developers address nutritional 
gaps in specific populations of children. To ensure that 
children get sustained benefits from the best nutrition, 
we have extended our ambition to improve the nutrition 
of mothers-to-be and new mothers.
Starting in 2017, we adopted ambitious nutritional targets 
for our new food and beverage projects, addressing the 
nutritional needs and documented gaps of these more 
vulnerable consumer segments. In these new products, the 
proportion of food ingredients (vegetables, whole grains, 
lean protein foods, milk, etc.) and essential vitamins and 
minerals recommended for daily consumption by authorities 
must deliver a meaningful contribution, within age-
appropriate portions, and be easy to recognise on the label. 
New product launches in 2017 included dairy beverages, 
many of which are fortified with vitamins and minerals 
missing in children’s diets (Nido, La Lechera, Ideal, 
Dancow and Milkpak); vegetable soups and pasta sauces 
(Maggi and Winiary); noodles with oat fibre and iron 
(Maggi); fortified flavoured milks and cocoa-malt drinks 
(Nesquik, Milo and Vascolet); fruit and vegetable purées 
(Gerber, Bona and 2nd Foods); meals with vegetables and 
lean meat or fish (Nestlé and Gerber); and fortified cereal 
porridges (Cerelac). 
Launching more nutritious foods and beverages 
Making our portfolio healthier and tastier
Nestlé is providing access to tastier, healthier, 
convenient, premium and affordable foods and 
beverages. Our research documents the formulation 
of new and better tailored food and beverage 
solutions. The Nestlé Nutritional Profiling System 
helps us to continually improve our existing recipes, 
making it easier for people to adopt a healthy diet.
We particularly focus on popular, affordable foods 
and beverages. 
Our commitment:
Launch more foods and beverages 
that are nutritious, especially for 
mothers-to-be, new mothers 
and infants and children. 
Year on year, we will increase the speed and number of 
launches of such nutritious food and beverage solutions, 
consistently turning the results of our research into 
meaningful support for parents.
Achieving Nestlé Nutritional Foundation status 
with a preferred taste 
We assess the nutritional contribution of our portfolio 
through our Nestlé Nutritional Profiling System (NNPS). 
This approach, based on nutrition science and public 
health recommendations, allows for a thorough evaluation 
of the nutritional value of our foods and beverages.
Our NNPS helps us determine how our foods and 
beverages fit into a child’s or adult’s daily dietary intake. 
We consider sensitive nutrients such as added sugars, 
saturated fats, trans fats, salt and energy content. Very 
importantly, we also look at nutritional contributions like 
calcium, protein, fibre, whole grains and more.
Every food or beverage product that achieves the specific 
criteria of NNPS attains the Nestlé Nutritional Foundation 
(NF) status. Accordingly, it represents an appropriate 
choice when the consumer decides to have it in the 
context of a balanced diet. All newly launched foods and 
beverages for children must meet NF status. 
82.1% of our foods and beverages achieved NF status 
(% of total sales)1. For products consumed by children, 
it is 92.5%2. 
While our NNPS guides our foods and beverages to make 
a positive nutritional contribution, they must then pass our 
consumer tasting programme. This test ensures that at 
least 60% of consumers prefer the taste of our recipes. 
If we achieve our goal of best taste and best nutrition 
compared with the competitor, everyone wins.
8 438
products per year3 renovated for 
nutrition or health considerations
By 2020: In both developed and developing countries, design and 
launch foods and beverages that address the daily nutritional needs 
and key nutritional gaps of infants, children up to age 12, new 
mothers and mothers-to-be.
 In progress
Our results:
1041 new products were launched in 2017 addressing specific 
nutritional needs and gaps of babies, children, expecting women 
or new mothers. 
Progress against our objectives
1	 Enlarged scope with stronger ambition.
2	 Due to ongoing automation, a few product categories are not yet 
reflected here.
3	 2012–2016 average.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
21
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Making nutrition affordable and accessible
We want to ensure that the most vulnerable in society – 
around 3 billion lower-income consumers worldwide – 
can also access tastier and healthier choices. Therefore, 
we have developed a specific business model called 
Popularly Positioned Products (PPPs). 
PPPs are high-quality foods and beverages, which are 
affordably priced and take local nutritional needs into 
consideration. They are often sold in smaller formats and 
are made easily accessible to consumers wherever they 
may live. 
We sell PPP versions of several leading brands, including 
Bear Brand, Milo, Nescafé and Maggi. And we apply the 
same vigorous quality and safety standards on our PPPs 
as on any other products. Food safety and quality are 
non-negotiable for Nestlé.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
22
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

We take a holistic approach, and will not reduce sugar, 
sodium or fat if it means having to increase another 
nutrient of concern. We focus on foods and beverages 
that contribute most to people’s intake of these nutrients 
to ensure the most meaningful impact.
Reducing sugar, sodium and fats 
Science-based renovation and innovation
Public health evidence shows that diets with lower 
sugar, sodium, saturated fat and trans fats can improve 
health outcomes and decrease non-communicable 
diseases (NCDs). We have made great progress in 
reducing the levels of these public health-sensitive 
nutrients in our foods and beverages over the past 
10 years. 
Our commitment:
Further decrease sugars, sodium 
and saturated fat.
Reducing sugar 
We started our journey reducing sugars back in 2000, 
and by 2010 had achieved a 34% reduction. In 2014, we 
committed to reduce sugars by 10% by the end of 2016 
in all products where energy from sugars contributes 
more than 10% in the daily diet. This was aligned with 
the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guideline 
recommending people keep free sugars below 10% 
of total energy intake. 
By that time, only 7% of our foods and beverages were in 
scope of this commitment because the other products 
already met the 10%; however, these products were the 
most challenging. As communicated in our 2016 report, 
we achieved an 8% reduction in total sugars.
From a public health perspective, what really matters is 
that consumers choose diets that are nutrient-rich and low 
in sugars. The WHO suggests it could be beneficial if less 
than 5% of energy comes from free sugars in the daily diet 
(a conditional recommendation). We welcome ongoing 
scientific research on the health benefits of this 
recommendation, are firmly committed to progressive 
public health efforts and have leveraged the WHO’s 5% 
conditional recommendation to determine which products 
are in scope of our 2017–2020 sugar commitments.
We are pleased that over half of our foods and beverages 
currently provide less than 5% energy from free sugars. 
We will now reduce sugars by 5% in the remaining 
roughly 45%. This is an ambitious task considering 
consumer demand for more natural and tastier products. 
By 2020: Reduce the sugars we add in our foods and beverages by 5% 
to support individuals and families in meeting global recommendations.
 In progress
By 2020: Reduce the sodium we add in our products by 10% to 
support individuals and families in meeting global recommendations.
 In progress
By 2020: Complete the 10% commitment taken in 2014, to reduce 
saturated fats by 10% in all relevant products that do not meet the NF 
criteria with respect to saturated fats.
 In progress
Our results:
We started reducing sugar in 2000. In 2016, we announced our 
new, ambitious 2020 commitment for sugar, sodium and fats, and 
in 2017 released implementation guidelines to help our markets 
achieve this. 
Standardised reporting systems will capture these additional reduction 
efforts, and measurement is in progress for all three of our objectives. 
We will report sugar, sodium and fat reduction, both as a percentage 
and tonnage, at a local and global level from 2018 onwards. 
Progress against our objectives
2000–2010 
34% reduction in sugars based on 
total volume of sugar purchased 
and overall sales volume.
2007
Mandatory policy
Focus on products that make a 
significant contribution to consumers’ 
total dietary sugar intake, as well as 
products intended primarily for 
children, such as breakfast cereals.
2014–2016
Forward commitments 
Further reduction by 10% in all 
products which are not aligned 
with the WHO recommended 
sugars intake guideline.
2017–2020
Forward commitments 
Further reduction by 5% in all products 
which are not aligned with the WHO 
conditional recommendation sugars 
intake guideline.
Sugars reduction started in 2000
2000
2005
2010
2015
2025
2020
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
23
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

We are developing new technologies to enable both sugar 
reduction and sensory satisfaction. It has been gratifying 
to see that our new Milo in Chile, with 32% less sugar as 
reported in our 2016 CSV report, has become a successful 
innovation in the market, highlighting consumers’ trust 
and preference with our products. To help consumers 
choose lower-sugar foods and beverages, we also 
advocate for voluntary sugar reductions and a level playing 
field across the industry. We hope other competitors will 
take similar action to proactively reduce added sugar for 
the benefit of consumers and public health.
Ground-breaking lower-sugar discovery
In 2016, we made a ground-breaking discovery on 
sugar structure.
Inspired by the structure of cotton candy/candy floss, 
we discovered a way to change the structure of sugar 
in a bar of milk chocolate so that it dissolves more 
quickly on the tongue. As it melts in the mouth, it 
delivers a sweet taste faster than normal sugar, 
allowing us to use less sugar while providing an 
almost identical sweetness. We expect this 
innovation to help us reduce sugar by up to 40%. 
We scaled up our technology in 2017, and plan to 
launch the first products using this technology in 
mid-2018.
Reducing sugar in KitKat
In 2017, we continued our sugar reduction journey in 
KitKat – our number one confectionery brand – and 
have achieved a reduction of around 7% through an 
improved recipe. Including the work made on portion 
control, this is equivalent to a removal of 1500 tonnes 
of sugars, while maintaining taste preference. We 
achieved this without using sweeteners or other 
artificial ingredients. The new and improved recipe 
contains more of the two main ingredients of milk 
chocolate: milk and cocoa. 
By the end of our global roll-out in 2018, the potential 
impact will be the removal of around 2100 tonnes 
of sugar from individuals’ diets. And we will reduce 
sugar even further in the coming years using 
natural ingredients.
Reducing sodium 
We have been reducing sodium in our foods and 
beverages for over a decade. We began with a worldwide 
commitment in 2005, followed by a further commitment 
in 2012 to lower sodium by 10% in all foods and beverages 
not aligned with our targets based on a maximum daily 
intake of 2400 mg (6 g of salt).
While this sodium threshold of 2400 mg was our interim 
target, since 2013, we have been working towards the 
WHO’s recommended intake levels of no more than 
2000 mg of sodium (equivalent to 5 g of salt) per person 
per day, by 2025. In 2017, we issued a new policy to further 
reduce sodium by an average of at least 10% by the end of 
2020, in all our products not yet aligned with our sodium 
targets, based on the WHO recommendation of a 
maximum sodium daily intake of 2000 mg. This means a 
targeted salt reduction of more than 15 000 tonnes.
We will achieve this through innovation, reformulation 
using ingredients such as herbs and spices, and building 
on our chefs’ expertise to create delicious foods with 
lower salt. Extensive work is also ongoing to report 
progress transparently, and focus on products with the 
highest consumer reach and impact.
In 2017, public announcements to go further than the 10% 
reduction have already been made by some Nestlé markets. 
Reducing sodium in Senegalese Maggi bouillons
Senegal was the first market in Central and West 
Africa to introduce a new norm limiting the sodium 
content in bouillons. This resonates with our iconic 
Maggi brand’s mission to support home cooks with 
healthier and tastier choices.
In response, our team successfully reformulated 
Maggi bouillons, resulting in a sodium reduction of 
11% while maintaining taste. Mr Alioune Sarr, Trade 
Minister, recognised Nestlé Senegal’s leadership in 
salt reduction, as we were the first company to launch 
foods and beverages aligned with the new standard.
Reducing saturated fats 
Fats and oils provide energy, help us absorb vitamins and 
contribute to many essential bodily functions. Through 
our Nestlé Policy on Trans Fat, since January 2017 over 
99.8% of the fats and oils we use do not contain trans fats 
originated from partially hydrogenated oils.
The WHO recommends that only 10% of calories in 
our diet should come from saturated fats and Nestlé’s 
NF criteria for saturated fats follows this same 
recommendation. In 2014, we committed to reduce 
saturated fats by 10% in all foods and beverages that did 
not meet the WHO’s recommendation by the end of 2016. 
We remain fully committed to closing the 3.5% shortfall 
reported at the end of last year. 
Achieving saturated fat reduction in Asian noodles is one 
essential step to closing this gap. Development work 
showed that the expected gains of using the previously 
proposed emerging oil could not be reached, and the 
project was economically not viable. Instead, we have 
identified an already commercially available and locally 
produced oil, which is nutritionally superior to our current 
oil. A sourcing study showed that the proposed oil can 
fully replace our current oil, and we have begun evaluating 
its commercial viability.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
24
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

More whole grain and fibre in our breakfast cereals
One of the ways we can have a big impact is through 
Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW), our joint venture with 
General Mills. We have set whole grain requirements for 
our breakfast cereal brands – all those carrying the ‘Whole 
Grain Tick’ contain at least 8 g of whole grain per serving. 
They also display a green banner to make them easier for 
individuals and families to identify. 
In particular, we want to ensure that our cereals popular 
with children and teenagers contain more whole grain 
than any other ingredient, and we are committed to 
making all our cereals a source of fibre. For example, 
Uncle Toby’s – Australia’s leading brand of oats – has 
launched Nature’s Mix, a no-added-sugar range that is 
naturally sweetened with dried fruit and nuts. And in 
Brazil, we succeeded in making whole grains the central 
ingredient in Snow Flakes without compromising texture. 
Improving nutrition through fibre-rich grains 
and vegetables 
Helping families achieve balanced diets
Vegetables, grains, pulses, nuts and seeds are a vital 
part of a balanced diet, as they are excellent sources of 
fibre, vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. 
However, recent research indicates that children and 
adults are not eating enough of these nutrient-dense 
food ingredients.
We are currently establishing specific objectives for each 
relevant product category. We also help families increase 
their intake by providing relevant nutritional advice 
on-pack or online, and promoting healthy home cooking. 
Our commitment:
Increase vegetables, fibre-rich grains, 
pulses, nuts and seeds in our foods 
and beverages. 
We have updated the wording of our 2020 objective, to 
make it more consistent with our other CPW commitments 
and to enable us to ensure efficient tracking. Making 
whole grain our main ingredient in all our recipes is part 
of our overall ambition at CPW. From a health perspective 
we are interested in increasing fibre from all sources, not 
just whole grain.
This challenging target has strict criteria defining which 
nutrient-dense ingredients count towards it; we exclude 
ingredients that are mixed with other sub-components (e.g. 
vegetable juices mixed with starches), refined cereals with 
less than 6 g of fibre per 100 g (e.g. standard wheat flour, 
white rice) and cereals that undergo further processing. 
It is important that any product reformulation does not 
adversely affect consumer preference through changes to 
texture, taste or shelf life. And wherever possible, while 
incorporating more whole grain and fibre into our breakfast 
cereals, we also further reduce sugar and sodium.
Increasing our use of vegetables 
We have also been working towards increasing 
vegetables in our recipes, especially in our prepared meals 
and sauces, but also in our dressings and condiments. For 
example, we have raised the vegetable content in our Lean 
Cuisine and Stouffer’s Fit Kitchen ranges. 
Getting children to eat vegetables can be particularly 
challenging, so we aim to help parents and caregivers. In the 
United States, for example, where vegetable consumption is 
below recommended levels, we add vegetables to our Lil’ 
Pastas whole grain pasta dough filling and sauces to achieve 
a significant quantity with delicious and subtle taste. The 
navy (haricot) beans in Lil’ Beanies make the snack interesting 
for young children not consuming enough vegetables, fibre 
and vitamin E. And we advocate eating and cooking with 
more vegetables and other fresh ingredients through our 
Maggi ‘Simply Good’ home cooking programme. 
In the UK, Nestlé has pledged to include more vegetables 
in on-pack and online meal recommendations for its 
Maggi range, as part of the Peas Please campaign. Peas 
Please is a ground-breaking initiative from the Food 
Foundation, a think tank focused on increasing vegetable 
consumption. It aims to bring together farmers, retailers, 
fast food and restaurant chains, caterers, processors and 
government departments with a common goal of making 
it easier for everyone to eat more vegetables.
By 2020: Add to our products at least 750 million portions of 
vegetables, 300 million portions of nutrient-rich grains, pulses 
and bran, and more nuts and seeds.
 In progress
Our results:
Set the implementation guideline and calculated the baseline, 
based on 2016 data: 7.4 billion portions of vegetables, 5.7 billion 
portions of fibre-rich grains, approximately 11 000 tonnes of pulses 
and 17 000 tonnes of nuts and seeds were already added to our 
foods and beverages. 
By 2020: In addition to whole grain already being the main 
ingredient in our ready-to-eat breakfast cereals for children and 
teenagers, all our Nestlé-branded cereals* will be at least a source 
of fibre, and have more whole grain than any other ingredient.
 In progress
Our results:
More whole grain than any other ingredient in any serving of 
children’s or teenagers’ breakfast cereals: 
2017	
  95%
2016	
  93%
2015	
  85%**
* Wherever technically feasible. 
** Reduction compared to 2014 due to the adoption in 2015 of a more stringent 
tracking methodology for whole grains.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
25
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Simplifying our ingredients list
For a number of years, the culinary food portfolio has been 
following a ‘Kitchen Cupboard’ approach, focusing on 
using well-known ingredients you would find in your own 
kitchen cupboard. We have been renovating our popular 
Maggi range globally, removing ingredients that 
consumers do not easily recognise, and enabling the 
goodness of home-made food. For example, in 2017 
Maggi Gemüse Brühe Bouillon was launched in Germany 
with familiar ingredients. Our ‘Simply Good’ commitment 
means we are increasingly opting for ingredients that 
consumers themselves would seek and buy. 
Simplifying ingredient lists 
Focusing on authentic ingredients
Consumers increasingly want to know what is in the 
foods and beverages they buy and to be able to clearly 
identify with each ingredient listed on the food label. 
New trends have reinforced the demand for simplicity, 
transparency, authenticity and higher-quality ingredients. 
Our commitment:
Simplify our ingredient lists and remove 
artificial colours. 
We are complementing our work to simplify ingredient 
lists by accelerating the removal of certain ingredients 
such as artificial colours and some additives like 
emulsifiers. We have been removing artificial colours from 
our entire confectionery portfolio since 2013, and today 
97% is free from artificial colours. Our culinary portfolio, 
including the brand Maggi, is 98% artificial colour free.
Between 2018 and 2020, all our business units must 
implement their plan to reduce targeted specific 
ingredients and eliminate artificial colours. In the 
meantime, we continue to provide consumers with 
transparent, easy-to-understand information about the 
contents of our products.
A good example of one of our foods and beverages that 
uses only recognisable ingredients is almond milk coffee 
enhancer. This is becoming increasingly popular and, in 
the USA, our Coffee-mate Natural Bliss almond milk is 
made from almonds, cane sugar and vanilla flavour that 
includes extracts from Madagascan vanilla beans. 
By 2020: Remove all artificial colours from our products.
 In progress
Our results:
5.6% decrease in purchased artificial colours based on tonnage 
in 2017.
By 2020: Continue removing unfamiliar ingredients. 
 In progress
Our results:
Consumers identified lists of ingredients that they want less of in 
our products. 
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
26
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Fortifying our foods and beverages
To ensure our fortification efforts are accessible to 
people on lower incomes, we fortify affordable foods 
and beverages, like our Maggi condiments and noodles, 
our cereals and children’s milks. As per our policy, we 
fortify our foods and beverages with at least 15% of 
the Recommended Daily Allowance of the respective 
micronutrients. This helps individuals and families meet 
their daily requirements and contributes to reducing the 
risk of deficiencies at scale.
Building on our existing offerings, we continue to renovate 
and innovate fortified products. For example, in 2017 we 
launched our Bear Brand Yogu, a delicious beverage 
containing milk, yogurt and fruits, and fortified with 
micronutrients relevant for the target country. We also 
introduced Nido GoldenStart, a ready-to-drink beverage 
with milk, cereals, fruit and added micronutrients for a 
healthy breakfast on the go.
Beyond our commitment to provide fortified foods and 
beverages, we also want to ensure we reach those who are 
most vulnerable. We will measure our reach in households 
with children in a number of countries with considerable 
levels of micronutrient deficiencies, or inadequate intakes, 
and where Nestlé has a strong market presence. 
Our commitments and achievements are summarised in a 
case study within Healthier Lives, a report by the Consumer 
Goods Forum (please see pages 26–27 of the report).
”Two billion people suffer from 
micronutrient deficiencies worldwide. 
We are committed to improving the 
nutrition of people at risk by offering 
fortified foods and beverages.” 
Mark Schneider, Chief Executive Officer, Nestlé
Fortified cereals for infants in India
A recent study showed that young children in India who 
consume fortified cereals have a reduced risk of iron 
deficiency anaemia. Among 6 to 23-month-olds, there 
is a significant association of reduced risk of anaemia 
with those who consume fortified complementary food 
compared to those who consumed a home-made 
porridge. This association was particularly strong in 
children aged 12 to 17 months.
Average haemoglobin levels (g/L) according to age and 
consumption of fortified complementary food, for infants 
in the highest wealth tertile.
Consumers and non-consumers of fortiﬁed complementary food
Consumers
Child age in months
g/L
6
9
12
15
18
21
96
98
100
102
104
106
Source: 2005–2006 National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3)
Non-consumers
Threshold for moderate anaemia
Under-nutrition and micronutrient fortification 
Helping families achieve good nutrition
Many people suffer from deficiencies in essential 
vitamins and minerals, leading to health impairment 
and, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization 
(FAO), costs society up to USD 2.1 trillion every year. 
The WHO, as well as the UN SDGs, set targets to 
tackle malnutrition.
We fortify popular foods and beverages where relevant 
nutrients are unavailable or difficult for families and 
children to access, especially in vulnerable populations. 
We are also exploring biofortification as a future solution. 
Our commitment:
Address under-nutrition through 
micronutrient fortification. 
By 2020: Reach millions of children and families with fortified foods 
and beverages.
 In progress
Our results:
83% of our PPPs for lower-income consumers were fortified with at 
least one of the ‘Big 4’*.
174 billion servings of fortified foods and beverages in 66 countries 
with higher vulnerability to micronutrient malnutrition.
* The ‘Big 4’ are vitamins A and D, iron, zinc.
By 2020: Initiate collective action to reduce micronutrient 
deficiencies in 10 countries. 
 In progress
Our results:
We remain committed to buying more biofortified crops from our 
suppliers, but are dependent on harvests. In 2017, for example, we 
faced challenges in a project in Nigeria, where the production needs 
for maize that corresponded to our criteria could not be fully met. 
By 2020: Continue to develop the supply chain for biofortified crops 
and expand our fortified portfolio. 
 In progress
Our results:
In 2017, we initiated four collaborative actions, involving 
government officials and stakeholder groups.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
27
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Fortifying Maggi in East Africa
Iron deficiency remains a significant issue in East 
Africa. In Rwanda, for example, 38% of children under 
five, and almost 20% of pregnant women, suffer from 
iron deficiencies (Demographic and Health Surveys 
2005 and 2010). In the Congo, iron deficiencies 
impact 67% of pre-schoolers and 56% of women. In 
many parts of the country, maintaining a balanced 
diet is hard due to food access challenges and a lack 
of knowledge. 
Given our market presence in East Africa, where we 
already fortify Maggi bouillons with iodine, we 
decided to also fortify them with iron, aligned with 
local food policies. Around 35 000 women were 
educated on the importance of cooking and good 
nutrition, including the benefits of iron. And by 
revising the route to market, we will create new jobs 
and make our fortified bouillon cubes more available. 
Supporting collective action
We are also looking into opportunities to participate in 
multi-stakeholder platforms, education and social 
marketing campaigns to further contribute to the 
reduction of micronutrient deficiencies. 
In 2017, we participated in a number of country initiatives, 
involving stakeholders such as government officials, 
nutrition societies and academia. For example:
•	 In the Philippines, we conducted a Micronutrient 
Deficiency Forum with the government’s Food and 
Nutrition Research Institute; 
•	 In Cameroon, we held a Nutrition Forum with the 
Ministry of Public Health; and 
•	 In Vietnam, we collaborated with the National Institute 
of Nutrition, leading us to fortify 7.5 billion servings of 
seasoning and dairy in one year. 
Developing biofortified crops
Biofortification improves the nutritional quality of food 
crops during plant growth. However, it can take as long 
as 10–20 years to establish in local markets. We support 
biofortification as a future solution to improving the 
nutrition of millions of people in a sustainable way, 
particularly in developing countries. 
Through contacts with the Harvest Plus Project and 
some institutions in the CGIAR network, we are trying to 
stimulate the supply and value chains for biofortified 
crops. For example, in Nigeria we are purchasing as much 
biofortified maize as we can, although current availability 
remains low and far from our total production needs for 
maize. In 2018, we will continue helping to develop this 
supply chain. 
In 2017, we also conducted research, including:
•	 Trials on agronomic biofortification of wheat, rice and 
maize with iodine, in Turkey and India; and  
•	 A study on the potential absorption (or use 
bioavailability) of beta-carotene from biofortified sweet 
potato in commercial foods, with French agricultural 
research and international organisation CIRAD.
Our next step is to further collaborate with various 
stakeholders to develop a supply system for biofortified 
seeds in Africa and other regions. A robust supply chain 
for biofortified crops will help address micronutrient 
deficiencies in rural farming communities, well beyond 
Nestlé’s reach.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
28
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Every day, we use our reach to encourage 
consumers to lead healthier lives. We do 
this by raising awareness of the role 
nutrition can play in reducing non-
communicable diseases, working with 
partners to promote balanced diets, 
healthy cooking, hydration and regular 
physical activity. We also help by providing 
nutritional information and guidance on 
age-appropriate portions, and through 
responsible marketing.
Why inspiring people to lead healthier lives matters
Every year, around 38 million people of all ages die from 
obesity-related diseases like cancer and diabetes (WHO). 
Conversely, only half of children aged 6–23 months 
receive the minimum recommended number of meals a 
day for their age. And more than two-thirds of the world’s 
infants and young children are not fed balanced meals 
containing at least four food groups (UNICEF). There is an 
established connection between what we consume and 
non-communicable and chronic diseases, as well as 
malnutrition and under-nutrition.
However, with today’s hectic lifestyles, finding the time to 
eat a balanced diet can be challenging. People often look 
for food they can consume on the go or prepare and eat 
quickly. In many countries, we need to adopt more active 
lifestyles. Even those motivated to follow a healthy 
lifestyle can easily be confused by conflicting health 
advice, and different labelling on foods and beverages 
is not always easy to understand. 
How we are inspiring healthier lives
In line with the UN’s SDG 3 on good health and well-being, 
we are committed to helping improve the health of 
individuals and families throughout people’s lives, from 
conception to old age. We work with partners to promote 
balanced diets, healthy hydration and home cooking. 
We help people eat more healthily by providing clear 
nutritional information and easily understandable 
guidance for healthier portion habits. And through our 
brands, we promote activities and sports programmes 
that help people – especially children – understand the 
importance of healthy eating and exercise.
	 Read more about how we are inspiring people 
to lead healthier lives
Continuously raising the bar in progress monitoring
Based on learnings of over 10 years, Nestlé is further 
automating its progress monitoring. Datasets for 
some 2017 KPIs evolved with new IT systems. 
Footnotes indicate where there are such adjustments. 
Our work on inspiring people to lead healthier 
lives contributes to the following SDGs:
Inspiring people to lead 
healthier lives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
29
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Accurate labelling
We strive to ensure that our labelling is fully accurate and 
scientifically substantiated. In line with regulatory 
guidance, we follow the principles outlined by the FAO’s 
Codex Alimentarius. Our labelling declares the absence, 
removal or presence of a nutrient or ingredient that a 
person might wish to avoid, such as sugar or saturated fats. 
People can learn more about what’s in our foods and 
beverages with our Nestlé Nutritional Compass®. This 
back-of-pack resource provides nutritional information in 
a standardised format, as well as information related to 
the consumption of the product or how it fits into a 
balanced diet. It also includes tips, advice and information 
related to the product wherever possible. 
We display GDAs wherever permitted by country labelling 
regulations. These detail the nutritional composition of a 
typical serving of food or beverage, with the reference daily 
guidelines for calories, sugars, fats and/or other nutrients.
Providing nutritional information 
Transparency helps consumers make healthy choices
Nestlé wants to help individuals and families eat and 
drink healthily by providing transparent nutritional 
information about our foods and beverages on-pack. 
We take seriously our responsibility to promote our 
products truthfully and reliably, enabling people to 
make informed decisions about their nutrition. We 
provide details about the ingredients in, and the 
nutritional benefits of, our foods and beverages.
We also provide more detailed information on issues 
such as health information, portion sizes, and even a 
brand or product’s social or environmental impacts 
online. This means that we are not limited by the space 
on our packaging.
Our commitment:
Apply and explain nutrition information 
on packs, at point of sale and online.
We work alongside governments, regional and local 
industry associations and continuously evaluate 
opportunities to further help consumers understand 
front-of-pack nutrition information. For example, we 
joined the nutrition information labelling for front-of-pack 
schemes in the UK and Australia in support of local public 
health agendas. And in Europe, as part of an industry 
group, we declared our intention to introduce a colour 
coded, front-of-pack nutrition labelling scheme based 
on portion.
Going beyond the label 
Consumer demand for information is increasing, but 
space on-pack is inherently limited. Over the years, 
we expanded the use of Quick Response (QR) codes 
displayed within our Nutritional Compass®. These give 
people with smartphones easy access to online 
information, enabling them to go ‘beyond the label’.
However, with consumer behaviour evolving rapidly, and 
search engines becoming the number one entry point for 
product information requests, we are working on new 
ways to facilitate access to this content. We remain 
committed to making this information available online, and 
will continue to develop our network beyond the current 
5000 microsites, providing online product information in 
45 countries, for 100 brands.
By 2020: Continue providing detailed product nutrition facts with 
daily value percentages, ingredients and allergens, and add special 
diet information, nutrition labelling explanations and healthy 
eating tips on all our relevant packs, as well as on our websites and 
e-retailer sites, to better enable informed choices.
 In progress
Our results:
89.4% of relevant foods and beverages have GDA-based labels on 
front of pack in countries where labelling regulations allow it*.
44.4% GDA-based labelling on all foods and beverages designed 
for children**.
97.3% of our foods and beverages display our Nestlé 
Nutritional Compass®.
* Due to ongoing automation, a few product categories are not yet reflected here.
** Enlarged scope with stronger ambition.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
30
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

In 2017, we expanded our initial commitment, which 
covered our children and family portfolio, to also include 
foods and beverages aimed at teenagers and adults. We 
make a special effort to provide such guidance in physical 
ways, which tend to be more intuitive for consumers. To 
complement this guidance at a product level, we are 
rolling out guidance on age-appropriate portions in our 
consumer websites, especially recipe websites.
Helping our consumers understand portion size
We encourage age-appropriate portion sizes through our 
voluntary Nestlé Portion Guidance initiative. This helps 
people understand the nutritional value of our foods and 
beverages, and improve their portion habits, particularly 
for energy-dense foods and beverages. 
Offering guidance on portions 
Helping people eat a balanced diet
Around the world, expanding portion sizes are 
contributing to imbalanced eating habits, and leading 
to adverse health outcomes. Conversely, undersized 
portions of vegetables, whole grains and milk are not 
delivering the required levels of daily nutrition. As the 
largest global food manufacturer, we have a unique 
opportunity to help guide individuals and families to 
pursue a healthy diet through informed choices and 
Nestlé Portion Guidance. 
Our commitment:
Offer guidance on portions for 
our products.
By 2020: Continue providing guidance on portions globally on 
all children’s and family product packs and add frequency of 
consumption indications on relevant products.
 In progress
Our results:
64.3% of our children’s and family portfolio provides Nestlé 
Portion Guidance*. 
79.3% of our foods and beverages with a significant impact on 
children’s overall diets, such as recurring and more indulgent 
choices, that display Nestlé Portion Guidance*.
* Due to ongoing automation, some products are not fully reflected here.
By 2020: Extend our guidance on portions to our consumer recipes, 
and relevant teenager and adult products.
 In progress
Our results:
CHF 40.1 billion sales of products across all categories of the 
Company providing Nestlé Portion Guidance*.
82 of our consumer websites provide guidance on 
age-appropriate portions.
* Due to ongoing automation, a few product categories are not yet reflected here. 
More visibility on teenager and adult products will be possible at end 2018.
By 2020: Gradually increase the proportion of guidance on portions 
provided through product form, pack design, serving device or 
dispenser to make it even more intuitive than on-pack messaging.
 In progress
Our results:
17.5% of our children’s and family portfolio provide Nestlé 
Portion Guidance through product form and 16.0% do so through 
pack design*.
* Due to ongoing automation, some products are not fully reflected here.
Progress against our objectives
Innovations in providing guidance on portions
Helping at the point of sale and time of 
consumption
Around the world, our teams 
continue to roll out visually 
engaging Nestlé Portion 
Guidance across our product 
categories. Redesigned 
packaging in 2017 includes 
pizza (e.g. Buitoni in France, 
Wagner in Germany) 
and confectionery (e.g. Jojo and Orion in the 
Czech Republic). 
Even seasonal promotional 
editions are carefully crafted 
to convey guidance in a fun 
way. For the festive holidays, 
families in the Czech Republic 
could enjoy an assortment of 
Orion chocolate tree 
decorations in a range of 
age-appropriate sizes.
Helping digitally connected families
Through our recipe websites, we are extending our 
guidance to cooks, food lovers, and individuals and 
families proactively seeking more detailed 
information. For example, our CPW joint venture 
launched an online Cereal Serving Size Guide, which 
provides clear information on our range of ready-to-
eat breakfast cereals in an entertaining way. 
Building on the success of our 
integrated Nestlé Portion 
Guidance approach in 
countries including the USA, 
Australia and France, Nestlé 
Spain launched a colourful NutriPlato plate. This was 
complemented by a guidebook for parents and a 
website, promoting a Mediterranean diet to help 
improve the eating habits of children aged 4 to 12. 
The initiative was developed in collaboration with 
the Hospital Sant Joan de Déu in Barcelona, a leader 
in paediatrics. 
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
31
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Our guidance is based on national food guides and 
recommendations from internationally recognised bodies 
such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the US 
National Academy of Medicine and other independent 
bodies. It is also tailored to suit specific cultural habits. 
We inform people about portion size in a variety of ways, 
such as through product form (tailored pack sizes) or pack 
design (compartmentalised or graduated packaging). We 
also use illustrations and, when possible, a serving device 
(like a special scoop or dispensing machine). We continue 
to make our recipe sites more accessible, searchable and 
user-friendly, and integrate age-appropriate portion 
information across these formats. 
Fuelling the discussion, inspiring action
We engage with leading scientists, policy-makers, health 
practitioners and consumer advocates, as well as public 
health researchers, packaging experts and parents, to 
continually improve our recommendations. We are also 
committed to advocacy efforts to promote action on 
healthier portion habits and norms. 
Recognising the key importance of Portion Guidance, the 
Nestlé USA team organised a successful workshop for 
dietitians in October 2017. The event, entitled Mindful 
Portions Start with You: Help Create a Movement! formed 
part of Nestlé’s participation at the Academy of Nutrition 
and Dietetics’ Food and Nutrition Education Conference 
and Expo. Drawing around 500 dietitian participants, the 
session addressed the current science around portion 
habits and gave attendees the skills to build a stronger 
portion guidance movement within their communities. 
Expert speakers included Dr Lisa Young of New York 
University, Jackie Haven of the USDA Center for Nutrition 
Policy and Promotion, and Bill Novelli from Georgetown 
University’s McDonough School of Business.
During the year, Nestlé also developed a science-based 
evidence dossier to support our dialogue about healthier 
portions with local health and regulatory authorities, in the 
context of evolving labelling regulations.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
32
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Maggi helps millions of families to cook 
Studies have shown that when children learn to cook, 
they are more likely to eat nutritious food otherwise often 
rejected, like vegetables or salads. At Maggi, we 
understand the power of home-made cooking. That is 
why we are committed to inspiring families to cook tasty 
and balanced home-made meals every day, with the fresh 
ingredients they love, and as a family-together moment 
whenever possible. 
In 2017, with the launch of the Maggi ‘Simply Good’ 
initiative, we further reinforced our global ambition to help 
individuals and families cook for healthier lives. Not only 
are we transforming Maggi products with simpler and 
healthier ingredients, we are also deploying an ambitious 
cooking education programme for adults, children and 
teenagers. This includes recipes, menu ideas, simple 
cooking tips and online courses. 
Both our Sustansya Caravan and Maggi pop-up kitchens 
provide young people with basic nutrition information 
and teach them the skills they need to cook tasty and 
nutritious meals. 
Helping families enjoy a balanced breakfast
Many children skip or don’t eat a nutritious breakfast. 
We believe that a balanced breakfast is more than a good 
start to the day – it’s the foundation for a better future. 
We continually improve our breakfast cereals by making 
whole grain the number one ingredient, fortifying them 
with vitamins and minerals, and further reducing sugar. 
We also dedicate our marketing efforts to helping parents 
create nutritious breakfasts. In 2017, we launched our 
website, providing guidance on portion sizes and inspiring 
food combinations so that children can enjoy a nutritious 
and tasty start to the day.
Marketing healthy choices 
Encouraging home cooking
As a responsible food and beverage manufacturer, 
we put our expertise and global marketing reach to 
good use. We promote healthy living choices to those 
we touch.
Every day, our brand communications reach billions of 
individuals and families. This presents an opportunity 
for us to help make a positive impact on people’s lives 
by inspiring them to adopt healthier ways of living. 
Our commitment:
Leverage our marketing efforts to 
promote healthy cooking, improved 
eating and active lifestyles.
Nestlé Pure Life® inspires kids to choose water
People recognise that water is the best choice for their 
health. However, unhealthy alternatives are often the first 
choice, especially for kids. For a future full of possibilities, 
Nestlé Pure Life® inspires children to choose pure water as 
their preferred drink for hydration, through innovative and 
fun activities.
Milo inspires millions of kids to grow with sports
Engaging in sports regularly is essential to a healthy 
lifestyle, but too often children and teenagers prefer to 
stay home playing with electronic devices. At Milo, we 
believe that sport is essential for healthier lives. That is 
why we are committed to enabling more kids to play 
sports regularly. We do this through coaching, grassroots 
sports events and engaging technology, such as the 
Milo Champ Squad app. Milo’s new partnership with FC 
Barcelona is inspiring millions more children to get active. 
Made with simple ingredients such as milk, malt barley, 
sugar and cocoa, and fortified with essential nutrients 
missing in the daily diet, Milo products are continuously 
improved to deliver the nutritious energy that children 
need to grow with sports.
By 2020: Double the outreach of our efforts to promote healthy 
cooking and eating, and healthy lifestyles for individuals, families 
and their pets.
 In progress
Our results:
The validation of the baseline is in progress. Marketing efforts 
towards promoting healthier cooking, eating and lifestyles are being 
integrated as we prepare the official 2018 launch of our children’s 
flagship initiative, Nestlé for Healthier Kids.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
33
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Our group-wide initiative Nestlé for Healthier Kids brings 
together all our efforts on children’s nutrition. The findings 
of our research and public health data inform our 
educational activities, and we work closely with 
governments, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), 
teachers and others in our industry to give children a better 
chance to become healthy adults.
The first 1000 days of life
The Nestlé Start Healthy Stay Healthy programme helps 
nurture a healthier generation by providing science-based 
nutrition services to parents and caregivers in the critical 
first 1000 days when nutrition has the greatest impact on 
lifelong health. Our services come to life mainly online, on 
dedicated website platforms featuring nutrition solutions, 
nutrition education and relevant parenting information.
Our global education programme promotes healthy 
nutrition and feeding practices – from conception to baby’s 
second birthday. Our engaging e-learning course was 
created by senior nutritionists and is based on the latest 
scientific findings that have been translated into simple, 
practical advice. Parents are taken through what to feed 
and how to feed their baby throughout the first 1000 days.
At the end of 2017, 7 million parents had registered with 
Nestlé Start Healthy Stay Healthy, and our ‘It takes all of us’ 
breastfeeding campaign reached 117 million people.
Helping teachers and parents of young children
In 2017, we merged our United for Healthier Kids and 
Nestlé Healthy Kids Global Programme to create one single 
and impactful programme for children aged 3 to 12. Nestlé 
for Healthier Kids will be officially launched during 2018.
With its school-dedicated module, the programme 
empowers educators to teach about the importance of 
good nutrition, healthy hydration and active lifestyles. 
This programme is active in 81 countries, in close 
collaboration with ministries of education and health, and 
schools can tailor it to the needs of their communities. 
Developed by a team of experts, the programme is 
implemented by more than 300 partners around the world. 
Leveraging the strength of United for Healthier Kids, which 
was designed to provide parents with tools and advice to 
inspire and enable behaviour change at home, the merged 
programme offers a holistic approach anchored in strong 
nutritional and behavioural science, to drive good health 
at a local level.
We know that parents are doing their best to make healthy 
eating, drinking and lifestyle habits part of everyday life, 
but many face challenges. So we provide portion 
guidance, practical cooking, and eating and lifestyle tips 
to inspire parents to raise healthier kids. We also leverage 
the marketing efforts of our brands. For example, Milo’s 
new partnership with FC Barcelona is inspiring millions 
of children to get active.
Leveraging healthier habits for impact 
Nestlé for Healthier Kids is supported by a global 
evaluation framework validated by scientific experts and 
based on six healthier habits: feed your baby like a baby; 
eat nutritious and varied options; choose water; manage 
portions; play and be active; and enjoy meals together. 
To improve our programmes, we assess their reach, scale 
and impact. On a local level, the evaluations are carried 
out by external, independent bodies.
Going forward, we will use these evaluations to accelerate 
our awareness-raising and knowledge-building programmes 
to foster healthier habits. For example, Nestlé Russia’s Good 
Nutrition programme helps children and teenagers adopt 
correct nutrition habits as part of a healthy lifestyle. Based on 
the results of 18 successful years of the programme, and in 
cooperation with the Russian Ministry of Education and 
Sciences, in 2017 the programme expanded to 60 regions 
with over 1.2 million children taking part.
	 Read more about Nestlé for Healthier Kids
Fostering healthy behaviours in children 
Nestlé for Healthier Kids, building on decades 
of partnerships and experience
Adopting good nutrition practices from an early age 
is essential to becoming a healthy adult. To make 
this happen, parents, caregivers and schoolteachers 
need to be equipped with the knowledge, tools and 
practical advice to help children live a healthy life from 
birth to adulthood.
Our commitment:
Empower parents, caregivers and 
teachers to foster healthy behaviours 
in children.
By 2018: Maintain existing Nestlé Healthy Kids Global Programmes, 
while measuring their impact on children based on five globally 
defined goals: eat nutritious and diverse meals; manage portions; 
choose water; play and be active; and maintain good hygiene habits.
 In progress
By 2020: Support 50 million children through our nutrition 
education and behaviour change programmes; an important 
milestone towards our wider 2030 ambition.
 In progress
Our results:
14.4 million children reached by our Nestlé for Healthier Kids 
programmes across the world.
81 countries participating in Nestlé for Healthier Kids 
Global Programme.
45 countries participating in Nestlé Start Healthy Stay Healthy.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
34
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Compliance with industry commitments
Nestlé has long been a firm proponent of responsible 
marketing to children (see our Nestlé Consumer 
Communication Principles). We are a founding member 
of the International Food & Beverage Alliance (IFBA) and 
are committed to complying with its Policy on Marketing 
Communication to Children. 
Nestlé is also a signatory to voluntary industry advertising 
pledges around the world to improve – and, in some 
cases, remove – advertising to children. These pledges 
have two main commitments:
•	 No advertising of foods and beverages to children 
under 12 on television, print or online, except for those 
that fulfil common nutritional criteria; and 
•	 No communication related to foods and beverages in 
primary schools, except where specifically agreed with 
the school for educational purposes.
Supporting the EU Pledge 
One of the industry advertising commitments we have 
signed up to is the European Union Pledge to support 
parents in making the right diet and lifestyle choices for 
their children. A third-party monitoring system ensures 
that all communications from member companies aimed 
at children are compliant. 
•	 In total, 99 511 Nestlé television spots were analysed by 
Accenture in 2017 as part of this third-party auditing 
process, and our overall compliance rate was 94.7%. 
•	 50 Nestlé websites were reviewed by the European 
Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA), and 100% were 
compliant with the EU Pledge commitment. 
The monitoring results are available to download on the 
EU Pledge website.
Our revised policy sets stricter standards on 
marketing to children
Back in 2008, we issued our Nestlé Marketing 
Communication to Children Policy. From January 2018, 
this policy has been strengthened, setting stricter 
standards to ensure we protect children, promote a 
healthy lifestyle and support parents and caregivers in 
their role to nurture healthy children. 
We do not market foods or beverages to children under 
the age of six. For children under 12, our current policy 
restricts marketing to products meeting the EU Pledge 
Nutrition Criteria. In addition, our updated policy sets 
stricter standards for direct marketing to children at point 
of sale and the use of licensed characters on pack. It 
therefore covers all communication channels.
Responsible marketing to children 
Promoting good nutrition
We are committed to making a positive impact on 
consumers’ lives. As a vulnerable group, children 
deserve particular attention, and we firmly support 
responsible marketing practices.
We work with governments and industry initiatives 
across the world to develop best practices, policies 
and guidelines.
Our commitment:
Market to children only choices that help 
them achieve a nutritious diet. 
By 2017: In support of the implementation of the Nestlé Policy on 
Marketing Communication to Children, we will roll out targeted 
training for our marketing teams globally.
 Achieved
By 2017: Promote to children only choices that are core to a 
nutritious diet.
 Achieved
Our results:
Established a new and stricter Nestlé Marketing Communication 
to Children Policy.
 100% compliance of Nestlé websites with the EU Pledge.
51 countries covered by national or regional pledges on marketing 
foods to children.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
35
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

We believe breast-milk is the best nutritional choice for 
an infant. Breastfeeding plays a critical role in a baby’s 
growth and development during the first 1000 days. 
It is the ideal source of nutrition, helps to build a strong 
immune system and fosters a strong bond between a 
mother and her baby.
When mothers determine, in consultation with healthcare 
professionals, that optimal breastfeeding is not possible, 
it is vital their babies are fed with the highest quality, 
scientifically proven breast-milk substitutes to help them 
thrive. Infant formula is the only suitable breast-milk 
substitute (BMS) recognised as appropriate by the WHO. 
We manufacture our infant formulas according to rigorous 
international standards. In addition, we apply stringent 
quality and safety standards to meet the specific 
nutritional needs of babies. 
Breastfeeding at Nestlé and beyond
During World Breastfeeding Week 2017, we ran our 
‘It takes all of us’ campaign, highlighting the special 
connection babies create and the support that is needed 
for breastfeeding. The campaign is both a tribute to and 
an invitation to a mother’s support system, including 
partners, grandparents, friends, colleagues and 
employers. Through partnerships with hospitals, 
conferences, workshops and expert roundtables, 
we engaged thousands of healthcare professionals. 
We ran the campaign in over 50 countries, reaching 
117 million people.
We support breastfeeding-friendly workplaces through 
the UN-backed Every Woman Every Child movement. Our 
own Maternity Protection Policy includes the right to 
extend maternity leave up to six months and work flexibly, 
and we introduced breastfeeding rooms in all premises 
with more than 50 female employees. We also install 
breastfeeding rooms for public use to make it easier for 
women to breastfeed (4613 rooms in India, Bangladesh 
and China), and through our Nestlé Start Healthy Stay 
Healthy programme we educate women about the 
benefits of breastfeeding. 
In line with WHO Guiding principles, we do not donate 
free infant formula samples; we only respond to official 
requests to donate infant formula during emergencies 
such as natural disasters. 
Supporting the WHO Code
We remain committed to implementing our industry-
leading policy to market BMS responsibly. At a minimum, 
globally, this means complying with the WHO International 
Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes (WHO Code), 
and all relevant subsequent World Health Assembly 
(WHA) resolutions, as implemented by governments 
across the world. 
In 2017, we released our new Nestlé Policy and Procedures 
for the Implementation of the WHO International Code of 
Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes. 
Our compliance is verified through routine internal 
monitoring and audits. Our Corporate WHO Code 
Compliance Committee, which includes three Executive 
Board members, oversees compliance. In addition, we 
have country-level WHO Code Compliance Committees in 
higher-risk countries, which meet regularly.
As well as internal monitoring, in 2017, external verifications 
were undertaken by Bureau Veritas in Ethiopia, Turkey and 
Cambodia, and Thailand by PricewaterhouseCoopers 
(assurance statements are available online). 
Supporting breastfeeding 
The ideal nutrition for infants
We support the WHO’s recommendation to 
exclusively breastfeed infants for the first six months 
of life, followed by the introduction of adequate 
nutritious complementary foods, along with sustained 
breastfeeding up to two years and beyond.
Our commitment:
Support breastfeeding and protect it by 
continuing to implement an industry-
leading policy to market breast-milk 
substitutes responsibly. 
By 2020: Advocate for a breastfeeding-friendly environment by 
supporting the set-up of breastfeeding rooms in communities 
where we operate.
 In progress
Ongoing: Ensure that the practices of the Nestlé Nutrition business 
consistently meet the FTSE4Good Index BMS criteria.
Ongoing: Continue to strengthen our policy and procedures 
to maintain industry leadership on the implementation of the 
WHO Code*. 
Ongoing: Continue to report publicly on our progress on the 
implementation of our Policy on the WHO Code*.
By 2018: Ensure that all provisions supporting breastfeeding in our 
Maternity Protection Policy are implemented.
 In progress
Our results:
4613 breastfeeding rooms in India, Bangladesh and China for 
public use.
339 breastfeeding rooms on Nestlé sites globally.
26 countries undertook internal and external WHO Code 
compliance audits.
3827 staff involved in marketing BMS underwent training on the 
WHO Code.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
36
* As implemented by national governments.
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Processes for inclusion in industry rankings and indices 
are also subject to verification procedures. We are proud 
to have been the first BMS manufacturer included in the 
FTSE4Good responsible investment index and to have 
consistently met its rigorous criteria since 2011. We were 
the first-ranked manufacturer in the BMS sub-index of the 
2016 Access to Nutrition Index™ (ATNI), which assessed 
marketing policies and practices of the world’s six leading 
manufacturers. We have now completed the assessment 
for the next index, which will be published during 2018. 
Finally, to build trust among consumers and the public 
health community, we make compliance reports, position 
statements, Q&As and responses to formal correspondence 
on breastfeeding and the WHO Code publicly available. 
	 Read more on BMS compliance
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
37
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Sharing knowledge on beverage consumption 
Although facts on the physiological effects of dehydration 
and over-consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages are 
available, there is a lack of consistent public data on 
people’s fluid intake. We want to share knowledge on 
beverage habits to inform the public health sector, and 
raise awareness on the importance of healthy drinking 
habits as part of a healthy lifestyle. 
ln 2017, Nestlé Waters shared data with an academic 
institution, which will provide a global baseline for 
people’s fluid intake, free for anyone to access in 2018.
Nestlé Waters released poll surveys
In February and October 2017, Nestlé Waters conducted 
online surveys* to research drinking habits in six countries 
around the world. We published our findings, which 
show that drinking water is a daily habit, with on average 
92% of respondents drinking water daily. However, 
around 27% of respondents reported drinking at least 
one litre of sugar-sweetened beverages every day. 
* Online surveys conducted by Kantar TNS in six countries (France, Italy, 
Mexico, the UK, USA and Turkey) and carried on to about 500 people per 
country. Each sample is representative of a population aged 18 to 64.
Inspiring people through collective initiatives
To raise awareness of healthy hydration further, we join 
forces with partners to actively engage in collective 
campaigns across the world. In Poland, for example, 
Nestlé Waters continues to support the ‘I Choose Water’ 
programme, developed by the Polish Dietetics Association. 
In Mexico, we are the only company to have partnered 
with the Ministry of Health to promote healthy hydration. 
In 2017, our partnership continued to encourage people to 
improve their health through drinking more water. 
Based on current discussions in multiple countries, we are 
on track to reach our target for collective initiatives on 
healthy hydration by 2020. 
Nestlé Waters Italy engages parents 
and paediatricians
In November 2016, Nestlé Waters Italy organised the 
Drink Well To Grow Up Healthier conference, along 
with the World Federation of Hydrotherapy and 
Climatotherapy (FEMTEC) and Italian Society of 
Preventative and Social Paediatrics (SIPPS). The event 
highlighted the need for proper hydration in childhood. 
In addition, in 2017 a handbook on children’s hydration 
developed by SIPPS was delivered to 10 000 
paediatricians and 18 000 teachers through the 
Hydration@school educational programme. Led by 
Nestlé, with the support of SIPPS and other scientific 
partners, this programme has reached 39 000 teachers 
and 128 500 students and their families since 2014.
Inspiring kids to choose water
We believe that adopting good hydration habits starts 
early. That is why educating children to drink water on a 
daily basis is one of our key priorities. We promote the 
choice of water to kids through our brands and corporate 
initiatives such as Nestlé for Healthier Kids, to encourage 
them to adopt healthy hydration habits at the earliest 
appropriate stage of life.
Promoting healthy hydration 
Helping consumers live a healthy lifestyle
We believe that what you drink is as important to a 
healthy lifestyle as what you eat and how often you 
exercise. We recommend plain water – still or 
sparkling, tap or bottled – as a top choice for daily 
hydration. Our role is to inform consumers and help 
them adopt healthy drinking habits.
We conduct surveys on beverage habits, participate in 
collective initiatives across the world and educate 
children on the importance of healthy hydration.
Our commitment:
Inspire people to choose water to lead 
healthier lives. 
By 2018: Release with partners an open access platform offering 
global statistics on people’s drinking habits*.
 In progress
Our results:
In 2017, we shared our most recent data on people’s fluid intakes 
across the world with an academic organisation. Findings of that 
independent research are expected to be submitted for publication 
in a peer-reviewed journal by the first quarter of 2018.   
* This commitment has been extended to 2018.
By 2020: Launch national campaigns promoting healthy hydration 
with public and private partners in 10 countries.
 In progress
Our results:
Ongoing discussions with potential partners and public health 
stakeholders in multiple countries. We anticipate the launch of 
several new national initiatives promoting the importance of healthy 
hydration in 2018.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
38
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Doing more by working together with 
strategic partners
Our commitment is an integral part of our NHW strategy. 
We use our global reach to help individuals and families 
make healthier choices, both as an individual food and 
beverage manufacturer and as a leading player in our 
sector. We participate in multiple local and global industry 
organisations and share our non-competitive knowledge 
to support collaboration on health and wellness, enabling 
a positive impactful outcome for consumers, employees 
and communities.
The collaborative programmes include a range of 
measures such as providing consistent information to 
consumers on-pack and online, no marketing to children 
aged under 12 of foods and beverages that do not meet 
established nutrition criteria, product formulation to 
reduce their sugar, salt and fat contents, and a number 
of employee programmes.
In 2017, we worked on our strategy to ensure partnerships 
have the biggest impact possible, and are developing a 
methodology that can be scaled up to engage further 
partnerships and actions in the future. 
Details and examples of industry collaboration can be 
found on the Consumer Goods Forum website. 
Supporting food service professionals
Through our Nestlé Professional business, we work 
with chefs and food service operators – the people 
who directly influence the nutritional content of the 
food served in restaurants, hospitals, schools and
public institutions. 
Nestlé Professional creates foods and beverages in nine 
dedicated manufacturing facilities, leveraging research 
conducted at our culinary centres in the United States, 
Germany, China and Singapore. We continue to renovate our 
foods and beverages to lower their salt, sugar and saturated 
fat content, and introduce more essential nutrients. 
We also provide educational materials and services 
to support food service professionals in improving 
the nutritional content of their food. For example, we 
write articles in industry magazines like Worldchefs, 
produce online videos and publish our own dedicated 
magazine, Nutripro.
International Chefs’ Day 2017
Each October, chefs around the world celebrate 
International Chefs Day, with the support of Nestlé 
Professional. Organised by the World Association of 
Chefs’ Societies (Worldchefs), the activity sees chefs 
engage with their local communities, providing 
exposure to their profession and promoting healthy 
eating among children. In 2017, we more than doubled 
our reach, with 4728 chefs joining and more than 
37 800 children in workshops across 55 countries.
Health-promoting food environments 
Leveraging the store environment and out-of-home 
services to promote healthier eating habits
Stores, online shops and out-of-home facilities, such 
as restaurants, offer great platforms for spreading 
messages and knowledge on the importance of good 
nutrition to a broad community of people of all ages.
This involves collaborating with our partners to 
enable a business framework for food and beverage 
manufacturers, retailers and food service providers 
to join forces and help people lead healthier lives, 
across geographies, by making healthier choices 
the easy choices.
Our commitment:
Partner for promoting healthy 
food environments. 
By 2020: Partner with retailers and food professionals to foster 
environments that promote healthier diets and lifestyles.
 In progress
Our results:
Partnered with 27 leading retailers, manufacturers and stakeholders 
in the US, Latin America and Japan to launch the first-ever industry 
initiatives on ‘in-store collaboration for healthier lives’ through the 
Consumer Goods Forum.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
39
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Through our leading international research 
and development (R&D) network, we 
constantly extend our knowledge about 
how the body works, and how the right 
nutrition – coupled with a healthy lifestyle – 
can make it work better. We share our 
findings with others to help address 
some of today’s key public health and 
nutrition challenges.
Why building, sharing and applying nutrition 
knowledge matters
Health challenges like obesity, type 2 diabetes and 
Alzheimer’s are increasing at an alarming rate. Some of 
these have common physiological factors that can be 
affected by, and addressed through, nutrition. At the same 
time, food-related allergies and intolerances are increasing, 
and being diagnosed earlier in life. 
The food industry can help. We have the scientific 
knowledge, expertise and insight to find ways to use 
nutrition to ease some of the challenges of people with 
food-related illnesses. However, much more needs to 
be understood about these challenges for solutions to 
be identified.
Our contribution to nutrition knowledge
As our understanding of food and nutrition grows, our 
R&D network is looking ahead to discover how we can 
enhance quality of life and contribute to a healthier future 
for everyone. At our 37 research centres around the world, 
including the Nestlé Research Centre and Nestlé Institute 
of Health Sciences, we are working to discover, develop 
and deploy new products and services that we aim to 
scale up rapidly. 
In 2017, we invested CHF 1.7 billion into this research, over 
60% of which was used to develop healthier products. 
To access the latest innovations, we also collaborate 
with globally leading universities, research organisations 
and start-ups. Likewise, we undertake a number of 
innovation partnerships with ingredient suppliers and 
equipment manufacturing companies to accelerate 
product and technology development. In 2017, we shared 
our innovative research through 313 publications and 
232 conference presentations.  
The Nestlé Nutrition Institute is a non-profit organisation 
based in Switzerland that does not conduct research, but 
shares leading science-based information and education 
with health professionals, scientists, nutrition 
communities and stakeholders in an interactive way.
	 Discover more about the Nestlé Nutrition Institute
	 Read more about our R&D network
Our work on building, sharing and applying nutrition 
knowledge contributes to the following SDGs:
Building, sharing and applying 
nutrition knowledge
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
40
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

The benefits of nutrients and probiotics 
In one of the largest public–private partnerships of its kind, 
we are studying the impact of nutrition and lifestyle on 
maternal and infant health with EpiGen Global Research 
Consortium (EpiGen). Through EpiGen’s NiPPeR study, 
mothers-to-be in Singapore, New Zealand and the UK are 
helping us explore whether a specific combination of 
nutrients and probiotics, taken before conception and during 
pregnancy, improves the health of mothers and their babies. 
By November 2017, we had achieved both our targets, for 
recruitment of women intending to get pregnant as well as 
for pregnancies, and reached 437 births (79% of our target). 
We share our findings through articles in scientific 
publications, and at events such as the 10th World 
Congress of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 
in October 2017. Topics presented from EpiGen included: 
•	 Associations between epigenetic changes at birth and 
disease risk factors in childhood; 
•	 The impact of specific nutrients during pregnancy on 
maternal and infant metabolic health; and 
•	 The scientific rationale and clinical trial design of the 
NiPPeR study. 
Sharing our findings on gestational diabetes
One of our studies1 is about gestational diabetes mellitus 
(GDM), a condition that may lead to serious adverse 
health outcomes during pregnancy, delivery and the 
initial postnatal period for millions of mothers and their 
babies. In some countries, GDM incurs additional 
medical expenses during pregnancy and delivery, and 
we are analysing the difference in cost between a 
normal pregnancy and one complicated by GDM. 
Conducted in China, Italy and Mexico, and in 
cooperation with local universities and research 
institutes, our first study2 in China found that the 
average cost of a pregnancy with GDM is 95% higher 
than a regular pregnancy. 
With a GDM prevalence of 17.5% in China, we estimate 
that 2.9 million pregnancies are affected by GDM each 
year, at a cost of RMB 19.36 billion (CHF 2.8 billion) and 
260 000 Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALY). We shared 
our findings in two publications in 2017.
Researching children’s nutrition 
We have been conducting studies on young children’s 
nutrition for 15 years and five years ago, we broadened 
our studies to include older children:
•	 Feeding Infants and Toddlers Study (FITS): This 
deepens our understanding of the eating patterns and 
nutritional intake of infants and toddlers from birth to 
age four; and
•	 Kids Nutrition and Health Study (KNHS): This 
focuses on eating and lifestyle habits of children aged 
4–12, an age when many behaviours that influence 
health later in life are established. 
Where no data is available about eating patterns, we 
collect information through questionnaires and 
interviews. Our studies evaluate findings at a national and 
international level. In several countries, for example, they 
show that fruit, vegetable and fibre consumption is well 
below recommended levels. Sugar, sodium and saturated 
fat levels are already a problem in childhood, and still a 
large proportion of children do not consume enough 
calcium and/or vitamin D for optimal growth.
Nutrition knowledge for every life stage 
Sharing knowledge from birth to old age
Healthy eating and drinking early in childhood sets a 
foundation for lifelong good habits and health. As we 
get older, our nutritional requirements change. We 
build and share understanding of good nutrition for 
every stage of life.
We research the link between nutrition, lifestyle habits 
and health in expectant mothers, newborns, and 
young and older children, and study the nutritional 
needs for healthy ageing. 
Our commitment:
Build and share nutrition knowledge 
from the first 1000 days through to 
healthy ageing. 
1	 BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, “Healthcare interventions for the prevention 
and control of gestational diabetes mellitus in China: a scoping review”.
2	 BMJ Open, “The Short-Term Health and Economic Burden of Gestational 
Diabetes Mellitus in China: A Modelling Study”.
By 2020: Build knowledge on the associations between nutrition 
and lifestyle, and biomarkers of health in mothers and children 
through the EpiGen collaboration.
 In progress
Our results:
Achieved our EpiGen targets for recruitment of women intending to 
get pregnant and for number of pregnancies; we have also reached 
437 births (79% of our target).
By 2020: Build further knowledge in the dietary intake, eating 
behaviours and lifestyles in infants and children.
 In progress
Our results:
10 countries where we have our major research initiatives, 
FITS and KNHS.
By 2020: Develop a deeper understanding of dietary intake, 
preferences and lifestyle habits during ageing.
 In progress
Our results:
Finalised, validated and published novel methods to measure the 
nutrient status, thereby continuing to research a comprehensive 
nutrient profiling approach for defining personal health.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
41
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Using our findings
We use our findings to innovate and renovate our foods 
and beverages to address nutritional gaps. In 2017, as a 
result of our research, we launched Gerber® GrabbersTM 
Strong Veggies Squeezable Puree, a nutritious snack 
providing one serving of vegetables (the first ingredient) 
and three-quarters of a serving of fruit. To better 
understand the dynamics behind documented intake 
deficiencies of children aged 4 to 12, we have in 2017 
conducted deep qualitative research with mothers in 
seven countries around the world. This allows us to better 
characterise the actual ‘problems to solve’ and come up 
with better tailored product solutions in the future. 
Our findings also inform communications to parents and 
the educational content of our Nestlé for Healthier Kids 
initiative. In Brazil, for example, insights from our pilot 
study suggest that over half of overweight children are not 
active enough. In response, we developed a Superheroes 
game that sends kids on ‘healthy missions’, earning points 
for exercising and playing outside. New programmes have 
been prepared in 2017 – in Colombia, for example – which 
will be publicly launched in early 2018.
We also share our findings with healthcare professionals 
and health authorities. Our most recently published 
papers on studies around the world are summarised 
online. The new US FITS learnings have been integrated 
into the Start Healthy Stay Healthy (SHSH) nutrition 
programme to help guide parents in their child’s feeding 
journey. Key KNHS results in the USA have been 
summarised in an online infographic. 
We also support learning for 
healthcare professionals
The postgraduate programme in Paediatric 
Nutrition (PGPN), developed by MedInscribe and 
Boston University School of Medicine, is ongoing 
in 68 countries, involving more than 5800 
healthcare professionals. 
We also launched the e-learning programme Early 
Nutrition Specialist with the LMU University, Munich, 
and the Early Nutrition eAcademy, as well as the 
International Programme for Preterm Nutrition 
launched in partnership with the University of 
Western Australia.
Using FITS in the USA
FITS researchers in the United States found that 30% 
of older infants and toddlers do not consume even 
one portion of vegetables a day. Furthermore, 25% of 
children’s daily calorie intake comes from snacks, 
many of which are not healthy options. 
As a response, we developed new foods to tackle 
these challenges. For example, our Lil’ Entrees and 
Lil’ Pastas contain half to one serving of vegetables. 
We promote healthier whole grain, vegetable, fruit or 
dairy-based snacks, such as Lil’ Beanies and Gerber® 
Organic Veggie Crisps, both of which have navy 
(haricot) beans as the first ingredient, as well as a wide 
variety of vegetable, fruit and dairy-based pouches.
Healthy ageing
We are passionate about helping people age well, and 
develop high-quality nutritional supplements specifically 
for the health needs of ageing adults. These are based on 
research, and made with proven, benefit-driven ingredients. 
Our leading brands include Boost (North America), Meritene 
(Europe), Nutren Senior (Brazil) and Sustagen (Australia). 
In 2017, based on consumer needs, we launched Boost 
in China, Japan, the Philippines and Mexico. 
Our scientists conduct extensive research to understand 
better the ageing process. For example, sarcopenia is the 
degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass, quality and 
strength, and becomes increasingly prevalent with age. 
The Nestlé Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS) is working 
to understand how genes, diet and lifestyle interact with 
skeletal muscle during ageing. The research aims to 
identify novel mechanisms, biomarkers and nutritional 
deficiencies of sarcopenia that can then be translated 
into nutritional solutions. 
From 2015–17, NIHS and the EpiGen Consortium worked 
on project MEMOSA (Multi-Ethnic Molecular 
Determinants of Human Sarcopenia). This identified 
specific micronutrient deficiencies that may contribute to 
the progression of sarcopenia. Results were presented 
at the 10th International Conference on Cachexia, 
Sarcopenia & Muscle Wasting in Italy in December 2017 
and will be published in 2018.
NIHS’ new study with the Swiss Centre Hospitalier 
Universitaire Vaudois discovered that several amino acids 
beyond the known homocysteine are associated with 
cognitive decline and dementia. Published in Alzheimer’s 
Research & Therapy, this work could lead to nutritional 
interventions in the hope of addressing age-related 
dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease.
NIHS scientists will continue to work together with Nestlé 
Research Centre colleagues on physical function and 
mobility, and Nestlé Health Science (NHSc), which is 
developing Nestlé’s pipeline of medical nutrition targeting 
frail elderly patients. 
Vitamin B12 deficiency and muscle frailty in the 
ageing process
Additional work from NIHS in 2017, with the Nestlé 
Research Center Singapore and the National University 
of Singapore, set out to better understand how ageing 
and frailty are associated with changes in vitamin B12 
homeostasis and its underlying molecular mechanisms. 
The results of the study, published in the Journal of 
Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, have conclusively 
demonstrated that ageing and physical frailty are 
associated with increased prevalence of vitamin B12 
deficiency. This suggests that maintaining adequate 
levels of vitamin B12 is key to preventing physical 
decline during the ageing process, and highlights the 
heterogeneity of micronutrient deficiency in the 
elderly and the need for more targeted interventions. 
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
42
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Supporting PhD students and collaborating 
with universities
Academic partnerships are important to the NIHS, which 
conducts fundamental research on areas where nutrition 
can have a beneficial impact on health outcomes. These 
include ageing (skeletal muscle and brain health) and 
metabolic health (obesity and diabetes). 
As part of this work, we run the PhD student programme, 
currently supporting 12 young people in their transition 
towards professional life, alongside our recent Global Youth 
Initiative. The PhD programme allows us to build a pipeline 
of emerging talents, contribute to scientific understanding, 
and strengthen collaborations with universities, including 
École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and 
Technische Universität München (TUM). For example, in 
2017, following our support of PhD students and a joint 
scientific symposium in 2015, we signed a Memorandum 
of Understanding with the University of Geneva’s School 
of Pharmaceutical Sciences. 
PhD research into weight maintenance 
and bioactives
“Obesity is the major risk factor for the development 
of type 2 diabetes and it affects millions of people 
globally,” explains Margherita Springer, PhD student in 
the Nutrition and Metabolic Health group at NIHS and 
TUM. “One of the huge obstacles in its treatment is the 
tendency for people to regain the weight they lose.”
“My research aims to understand which factors 
differentiate those who can maintain a normal body 
weight from those who cannot. It also looks at how 
natural molecules from plants and food can be 
used to help. For example, one of the things we are 
testing is the impact of polyphenols from fruit and 
vegetables on weight management. Being part of 
the Nestlé PhD programme is a unique opportunity 
to conduct research that can have a direct impact 
on human nutrition.”
In 2017, a work from this group was published in the 
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. It focused on 
understanding why the risk of developing diabetes 
varies from one individual to the next.
The future of personalised nutrition
We know the same diet can have different effects on 
people, as we each have a unique microbiome and 
nutritional needs. Instead of a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, 
we need to develop personalised products for individuals. 
We believe that characterising nutritional status is 
fundamental to defining personal health. As it stands, 
there is no comprehensive and cost-efficient way to 
measure levels of essential nutrients in a person’s body, 
so finding methods and analytical tools is a crucial first 
step. Once these tools or methods are identified, we 
then aim to develop a system to deliver those missing 
nutrients, moving towards customised food in the future 
for specific populations. 
NIHS is continuing to research a nutrient profiling 
approach for measuring the levels of essential nutrients 
and micronutrients in a person’s body. In 2017, we 
finalised, validated and published two of the novel 
methods to measure nutrient status. We are currently 
applying these methods to Nestlé clinical programmes.
Building biomedical science 
Researching nutrition’s role in preventing 
and treating disease
The number of people over the age of 60 is expected to 
double between 2015 and 2050. People are living 
longer, and often with less support from healthcare 
systems. Through biomedical science, we aim to 
understand, treat and ultimately help prevent disease 
throughout our lives.
We are advancing the therapeutic role of nutrition, 
and also exploring the role of genetics, environment 
and lifestyle. 
Our commitment:
Build biomedical science leading to 
health-promoting products, personalised 
nutrition and digital solutions. 
By 2020: Develop digital nutrition profiling for calculating nutrient 
intakes, as well as for making recommendations for nutritional 
balance, into a comprehensive tool to assist individuals and families 
to lead happier and healthier lives.
 In progress
By 2020: Develop new interventional nutritional solutions driven by 
studies and diagnostic profiling. These programmes will focus on 
key areas such as metabolism, gastrointestinal and brain health, 
healthy ageing, skin health and pets.
 In progress
Our results:
Continuing to develop the technology powering a range of digital 
applications to assess and optimise nutritional balance with 
personalised nutritional recommendations. 
Continuing to research a nutrient profiling approach to measure 
nutritional status for defining personal health.
Finalised, validated and published novel methods to measure the 
nutrient status, thereby continuing to research a comprehensive 
nutrient profiling approach for defining personal health.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
43
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Developing nutrition-based therapies
The role of nutrition is expanding from addressing 
nutritional gaps to potentially changing the management 
of our health. NHSc applies its research findings to 
empower people to improve their health. Consumer Care 
addresses specific health conditions through nutritional 
products and services accessed through a pharmacy, 
retail outlet or online; Medical Nutrition supplies food and 
nutrition products to medical facilities to help treat certain 
conditions; and Novel Therapeutic Nutrition produces 
new, clinically proven nutritional therapies for specific 
diseases and conditions, focusing on areas such as 
gastrointestinal and brain health. 
Our solutions include: 
Healthy ageing – We develop nutritional supplements for 
the health needs of ageing adults, made with benefit-
driven ingredients. Our leading brands include Boost 
(North America), Meritene (Europe), Nutren Senior (Brazil) 
and Sustagen (Australia). 
Gastrointestinal health – Together with Enterome, we 
created Microbiome Diagnostics Partners to develop 
innovative microbiome-based diagnostics. This joint 
venture will transform therapeutic approaches to health 
conditions, including inflammatory bowel and liver 
diseases. In 2017, Prometheus, a subsidiary of NHSc, 
launched four diagnostic tests to help healthcare 
professionals monitor patients with persistent diarrhoea, 
Crohn’s disease, liver fibrosis and inflammatory bowel 
disease. Through Project Crown, we are developing an 
amino-acid-based medical food to help patients with 
Crohn’s disease. 
Seizure control – To help people manage seizure control, 
we are exploring ketogenic diets. In 2017, we launched 
Keyo, a unique, ready-to-eat, semi-solid food for the 
ketogenic diet to better manage epilepsy. The product is 
suitable for children from age three.
Food allergies and intolerances – Our approach 
combines nutritional solutions (Althéra, Alfaré, Alfamino), 
and Cow’s Milk-related Symptom Score (CoMiSS) 
diagnostics, enabling healthcare professionals to 
diagnose and manage infants and young children with 
Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA). In 2017, our 
partnership continued with DBV Technologies to develop 
their patch-test for CMPA in infants. To develop oral 
immunotherapies for food allergies, we continued 
working with Aimmune Therapeutics, which recently 
published its study into peanut allergy. 
Acute care – In 2017, we announced our partnerships 
with the Chinese and Australian Stroke Associations, to 
improve the screening, diagnosis and management of 
dysphagia (swallowing difficulty). We launched Thicken 
Up, a thickening agent enabling tailored texture 
modification of food and liquids to help patients overcome 
swallowing difficulty. In Europe, we launched Peptamen 
Intense, a high protein, low carbohydrate enteral nutrition 
solution, facilitating blood glucose management in 
critically ill patients.
Inborn errors of metabolism – In 2017, NHSc announced 
a partnership with Codexis to accelerate enzyme innovation 
for multiple health conditions like PKU, an inborn and 
lifelong metabolic disorder impacting protein processing.
Skin health – Through Nestlé Skin Health, we market 
Galderma (medical solutions) and consumer skin health 
solutions. In 2017, we produced a new strategy and are 
collaborating with partners to explore links between the 
human microbiome and healthy skin, and to innovate to 
help people improve their skin health, particularly for 
ageing skin. To share knowledge, we provide training for 
dermatologists and healthcare professionals, and to 
support patients, we run a summer camp for children in 
the USA who suffer from skin diseases.
	 Visit our website for more information about our 
medical nutrition R&D
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
44
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

For our communities
We work with partners, suppliers and millions of farmers and 
workers around the world. Our aim is to help build resilient, 
thriving communities as part of a secure, long-term supply 
chain. Our programmes and commitments are designed 
to support rural development, promote and respect human 
rights, and ensure fair employment and diversity. 
Our 2030 ambition is to improve 30 million livelihoods in 
communities directly connected to our business activities.  
Promoting decent 
employment and diversity
because diversity strengthens and 
enriches our company, provides 
opportunities and makes Nestlé 
an employer of choice.
2017 highlights
30 157 job opportunities provided to 
young people under 30 
11 710 traineeships or apprenticeships 
provided to young people under 30 
Announced, at the UN General Assembly, 
the ambition of our global youth initiative 
Nestlé needs YOUth to help 10 million 
young people around the world access 
economic opportunities by 2030
37.5% of leadership positions are held 
by women
Respecting and promoting 
human rights
because it is our corporate 
responsibility to respect 
human rights throughout our 
business activities.
2017 highlights
A further 26 cocoa co-operatives were 
covered by our Child Labour Monitoring 
and Remediation System (CLMRS) in 2017, 
bringing the total to 95. CLMRS is the 
most comprehensive programme yet 
to help children working in cocoa 
production, according to the organisation 
STOP THE TRAFFIK
12 796 employees trained 
during the year in human rights policies 
and procedures 
Published our first Nestlé Cocoa Plan 
Child Labour report 
We carried out a collaborative upstream 
Labour Rights Impact Assessment in our 
palm oil supply chain
In partnership with the Thai government and 
a supplier, we developed a demonstration 
vessel to International Labour Organization 
(ILO) standards for use in training to address 
safe working and living conditions on 
vessels in the seafood industry
Rural development and 
enhancing livelihoods
because alleviating poverty and 
encouraging the next generation 
of farmers will help ensure a 
sustainable supply chain.
2017 highlights
63% of the volume of raw materials 
were fully traceable and 57% were 
Responsibly Sourced
118 426 coffee farmers were provided 
with technical assistance
Completed our objective of carrying 
out 18 rural development baseline 
assessments
685 000 farmers supplying directly 
to Nestlé
We announced our aim to source only 
eggs from cage-free hens for all our food 
products globally by 2025
Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals
	 Read more about how we are helping communities
Investor benefits
Consumers increasingly want to know where their foods and beverages come from and that human rights are respected during 
their production. Initiatives such as our Nespresso AAA Program, Nescafé Plan and Nestlé Cocoa Plan, as well as our responsible 
sourcing activities and work to support our salient human rights issues, help us to ensure the resilience of our supply chain and 
offer commercial differentiation to the consumer. 
	 From page 63
	 From page 59
	 From page 50
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
45
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Global youth initiative: 
 Nestlé needs YOUth 
According to ILO estimates, some 
71 million young people globally are 
unemployed, and 500 million are under-
employed or in uncertain jobs. In rural 
areas, the lack of job opportunities 
pushes young people to leave their 
communities in search of work. It’s 
estimated that more than 60% of 
children entering primary school today 
will have jobs that do not currently exist. 
They need the right skills and experience 
to help them in a rapidly changing 
economic landscape.
Governments need to create the right conditions, 
but corporations also need to stand up and make 
their contribution. At Nestlé, we believe that 
communities cannot thrive if they cannot offer a 
future for younger generations. As a global company, 
we are determined to help young people develop 
their skills and gain experience so they can find jobs 
or create their own businesses. 
We want to help equip the next generation for 
employment and help them become inspiring 
leaders in our company, successful agripreneurs, 
entrepreneurs and game-changers, regardless of their 
field or level of expertise. It will help build thriving, 
resilient communities and it supports the UN 
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 
Developing our youth helps boost our business too, 
because young people drive internal change in our 
company, keeping it dynamic and competitive. They 
are the employees who will power the company. They 
are the farmers who will grow the raw materials that we 
need to make our products. They are the entrepreneurs 
who will help us reach out to new markets and 
consumers. They are the innovators who will find the 
solutions to the business challenges of the future.
This is why we launched our global youth initiative, 
Nestlé needs YOUth, at the Private Sector Forum of the 
UN General Assembly in New York. It supports our 
2030 ambition to help develop economic opportunities 
for 10 million young people around the world in 
communities in which we operate. 
Here is our recipe for empowering youth: 
1.	Creating employment opportunities for youth at 
Nestlé – through hiring young people, providing 
apprenticeships and training opportunities, and 
helping equip today’s youth with the skills they will 
need in tomorrow’s workplace. 
2.	Agripreneurship – our programme for preparing 
the next generation of farmers by developing young 
people’s agricultural and business skills and making 
farming an attractive and viable career option.  
3.	Entrepreneurship – supporting young people to be 
innovative and creative through initiatives such as 
Nestlé Professional’s ‘My own business’ scheme. 
4.	 Innovation – especially through our interactions 
with young people and our Facebook page, 
and by stimulating innovative thinking and 
leveraging resources. 
To really make a difference for young people, we are 
partnering with governments, national and 
international foundations, youth organisations, 
academia and hundreds of private-sector companies 
through the Alliance for Youth.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
46
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Empowering the next 
generation of farmers 
Equipping farmers with the 
business skills to drive the 
future of farming.
Rising population levels – 
combined with changing 
consumption patterns, poor 
access to resources and 
technology, weather fluctuations 
and rural poverty – represent 
huge challenges for ensuring 
food security worldwide. At the 
same time, raising consumer 
concerns for food safety and 
quality increases expectations 
from farmers. Through the 
agripreneurship programme, we 
aim to equip young farmers with 
the agricultural knowledge, 
environmental consciousness 
and technological know-how 
they need to succeed.
The farming population is ageing fast. Jobs 
in agriculture are attracting fewer young 
people, and this shortage of talent entering 
the agri-food industry has become a 
growing concern. Who will produce food for 
the world’s growing population? 
To help tackle these challenges, we started 
the Nestlé agripreneurship programme in 
2012, which aims to accelerate the 
development of capable and willing young 
farmers to grow their farming skills, 
competences and business management. 
Agripreneurship is part of our Farmer 
Connect programme, from which we 
source agricultural raw materials directly 
from around 685 000 farmers.
Who are agripreneurs?
Candidates for agripreneurship are 
ambitious, dynamic, reflective farmers who 
are constantly searching for ways to 
improve their production systems. They are 
the visionaries and risk-takers who push the 
boundaries and drive progress. We want 
them to have the business mind-set and soft 
skills to make their businesses productive 
and sustainable economically, socially and 
environmentally. Ultimately, it is the 
programme’s ambition that they will enjoy 
the lifestyle benefits that come with the 
profitable, competitive and rewarding 
profession of farming.
What makes an agripreneur?
One does not become an agripreneur 
overnight. It takes years of continuous 
improvement and learning to fully imbibe the 
spirit and grow to become a true agripreneur. 
We believe agripreneurship produces social 
and economic benefits for farmers, 
empowers and enables them to embrace 
sustainable farming methods, and most 
importantly, allows them to farm by choice. It 
intends to create viable career opportunities 
for young, talented professionals who want to 
work in agriculture.
	 Read more about our commitments for 
our communities from page 50 onwards
47
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

We know that human rights 
abuses can occur in our supply 
chain, but identifying such 
abuses may be difficult. Supply 
chains are often complex, and 
lacking transparency, resulting 
in an obscure picture.
To address this, our human rights impact 
assessments dig deep, engaging directly 
with stakeholders such as workers and 
community members. Identifying such 
abuses is the first step towards enabling  
us to apply the appropriate remedial 
activities to eliminate them and improve 
working conditions. 
Building on our experience of conducting 
human rights impact assessments across 
our global operations, in August 2017 we 
undertook our first upstream supply chain 
assessment focused on labour rights in our 
palm oil supply chain. Working with one of 
our suppliers, Golden Agri-Resources 
(GAR), and partners the Danish Institute for 
Human Rights and TFT, two teams spent 
three weeks in Sumatra, Indonesia’s largest 
palm oil producing region. 
Indonesia’s palm oil supply chain is 
complex. Lack of effective regulation, 
coupled with informal production systems, 
creates significant challenges in maintaining 
visibility. This makes effective supply chain 
management difficult for companies like 
Nestlé that buy from suppliers. The 
assessment was aimed at understanding 
the challenges the industry faces, and 
developing recommendations for Nestlé  
as a global palm oil buyer.
Our assessment focused on one of GAR’s 
refineries in Sumatra. We identified four 
independent production mills and their 
respective supply chains in which to 
conduct the main assessment. One mill had 
an integrated plantation from which it 
received its raw palm oil supplies, while the 
others were supplied by independent local 
smallholders and traders.
We interviewed more than 200 people, from 
mill and estate managers and workers to 
traders, smallholders and community 
members, as well as stakeholders from 
government, civil society and academia. 
The assessment highlighted the complex 
nature of the supply chain, including a 
number of systemic labour rights issues. 
Detailed findings and recommendations 
from the assessment will be presented in  
an upcoming public report, alongside the 
publication of Nestlé’s Global Action Plan  
on Palm Oil. 
	 Read more about our commitments for 
our communities from page 50 onwards
Understanding our 
human rights impacts
How we’re addressing and 
eliminating the root causes 
of human rights abuses.
48
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Supporting collective 
action in our Thai seafood 
supply chain
Setting standards to 
improve conditions for 
workers at sea.
In 2015, Nestlé launched an 
action plan detailing our 
commitment to eliminating 
labour and human rights abuses 
in the Thai seafood supply chain. 
As part of this plan, we work with suppliers 
to map and assess our supply chains – 
through global business support company 
UL, we audited more than 10% of the vessels 
in our Thai seafood supply chain this year. 
We aim to understand working conditions 
and provide workers with access to 
grievance mechanisms. We also work with 
industry through the Seafood Task Force to 
align industry behind a common code of 
conduct and deploy best practice tools.
As an example of our work in 2017, we 
collaborated with Thai Union and Verité to 
renovate a standard Thai fishing boat. The 
vessel was refurbished to meet the standards 
set by the ILO’s convention for human rights 
at sea. It also complies with Thailand’s 
updated fisheries regulations for the health, 
safety and welfare of ships’ crews. 
To meet these standards and regulations, 
boat owners must provide proper safety 
equipment, as well as adequate food and 
drinking water. Appropriate rest and eating 
areas onboard the vessel are mandatory, 
along with a first-aid kit and proper toilet and 
sanitation facilities. 
Renovation was completed in 2017, and the 
boat now forms the basis of a training 
programme for vessel owners, captains and 
crew, demonstrating healthy and safe living 
and working conditions aboard a fishing 
vessel. The training also educates attendees 
on their rights as workers, covering 
recruitment, hiring, employment and 
separation. This initiative is supported by 
the Royal Thai Government Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs, Southeast Asian Fisheries 
Development Center and the Royal Thai 
Government Department of Fisheries. 
In 2018, we will continue to progress on our 
Thai Seafood Action Plan, reaching more 
sites. We will continue to identify additional 
ways to drive positive change in labour 
conditions in our supply chain and the 
sector more broadly. 
	 Read more about our commitments for 
our communities from page 50 onwards
49
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

By having a comprehensive understanding 
of where and how our ingredients are 
produced, and the challenges farmers and 
their communities face, we can support 
rural development. Working closely with 
farmers enables us to promote better 
agricultural practices and help improve 
their livelihoods, thereby working towards 
responsible sourcing and securing a 
long-term supply of raw materials.
Why rural development matters
The growing global population means demand for food is 
rising. Consumers also increasingly have concerns over 
food quality and safety. These represent huge challenges 
for farmers and the agricultural sector. Lack of knowledge, 
poor farming practices, ageing or diseased plants, a lack 
of empowered women and low levels of nutrition, 
sanitation and health can all have a detrimental effect on 
farmers and their communities. These can be exacerbated 
by climate change and the increasing pressure on arable 
land from other crops. 
As a result, many farmers live on low incomes and farming 
is not always seen as a desirable or profitable career 
option by the next generation, who are essential for the 
successful future of farming. 
Our role
By supporting rural development, and helping farmers 
and communities to boost their incomes and access 
economic opportunities, we can help build secure, 
long-term supply chains. Through specialised sourcing 
programmes, such as our Nescafé Plan and Nespresso 
AAA Program for coffee, our Cocoa Plan, and our TFT 
Rurality programme in palm oil and pulp and paper, 
we work directly with farmers and growers. Also, by 
providing training in better agricultural practices and 
diversification, and supplying stronger, higher-yielding 
plants, we support farmers to improve their productivity 
and incomes, and become more resilient. 
“As we look ahead, it seems wrong to 
talk about ‘the future of sustainable 
agriculture’. Simply put, there is no 
future without sustainable agriculture.”
Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman Emeritus, Nestlé
	 Read more about caring for rural development
	 Read more about our governance and 
policy arrangements
Our work on rural development and enhancing 
livelihoods contributes to the following SDGs:
Rural development and 
enhancing livelihoods
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
50
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Our approach consists of sourcing our most important 
raw materials and paper in compliance with our Supplier 
Code and Responsible Sourcing Guideline (RSG) criteria, 
with traceability and transparency throughout our supply 
chains. The RSG sets out detailed requirements with a 
focus on critical economic, social, environmental and farm 
animal welfare-related challenges that can affect supply, 
livelihoods and sustainability in our sourcing activities.
Our Nestlé Commitment on Farm Animal Welfare sets out 
further ways to improve the health, care and welfare of the 
farm animals in our supply chain. Read more about our 
commitment to animal welfare and the internationally 
accepted Five Freedoms here. 
Our priority categories
Our work towards achieving traceable and Responsibly 
Sourced ingredients focuses on 12 priority categories, 
which represent the materials we source in the largest 
quantities or which are most important for us: cocoa; 
coffee; dairy; cereals and grains; fish and seafood; 
hazelnuts; meat, poultry and eggs; palm oil; pulp and 
paper; soya; sugar; and vanilla. 
Farmer Connect
Within our responsible sourcing activities, Farmer Connect 
is our unique sourcing programme working directly with 
farmers. Farmer Connect helps ensure the supply of 
high-quality agricultural raw materials, and provides 
physical traceability back to farm level. Through the 
programme, we engage with farmers directly to develop 
supply chains that meet our social, environmental and 
ethical requirements. Farmer Connect goes beyond 
responsible sourcing compliance and places an 
emphasis on outcomes such as increasing crop yields 
in a sustainable way through its SAIN programme 
(Sustainable Agriculture Initiative at Nestlé). 
SAIN is a toolkit we use to promote good agricultural 
practices, improve standards and provide farmers with 
technical assistance and support, adapted to local 
contexts. Training activities help farmers improve their 
yields, meaning they can sell more produce and increase 
their income. This helps them to support their families and 
grow their businesses, while also meeting our highest 
sourcing standards. We also help farmers – especially 
women – to develop alternative income streams, further 
boosting their income. We give particular support to 
young farmers. To nurture the development of the next 
generation of farmers, SAIN builds on agripreneurship – 
a fast-track programme that accelerates the development 
of capable and willing farmers to grow their farming skills, 
competences and business management.
Responsible sourcing and Farmer Connect
Tracing our ingredients transparently
We source our raw materials both directly from 
farmers, through our Farmer Connect programme, and 
from suppliers through our procurement channels. 
With consumers and stakeholders increasingly 
wanting to know what is in their food, where it comes 
from and how it is made, responsible sourcing is an 
essential part of ensuring the integrity and 
sustainability of our business.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
51
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Understanding our farmers’ needs
In 2017, we continued our rural development baseline 
assessments using two key tools:
•	 The Rural Development Framework (RDF); and 
•	 Response-Inducing Sustainability Evaluation (RISE).
The RDF was designed in collaboration with key partners 
the Danish Institute for Human Rights, the Fair Labor 
Association (FLA), the Rainforest Alliance and Solidaridad. 
It has a broad focus and includes relevant development 
drivers at farm and community levels. It enables us to gain 
data, insights and information, including, for example, the 
Household Dietary Diversity Score and the Individual 
Dietary Diversity Score for nutrition, and the Months of 
Adequate Household Food Provisioning survey for 
assessing food availability. 
RISE is more targeted at farm level. It is a well-proven tool 
for sustainability assessment in agriculture and helps make 
sustainable farming measurable, communicable and 
tangible to farmers. RISE uses indicators such as 
economic viability, quality of life and natural resources, and 
identifies strengths and weaknesses. RISE also evaluates 
the embeddedness of the farms in the local context, and 
is a means of achieving continuous improvement. 
We completed new assessments in 2017 in our cocoa 
supply chains in Brazil, Ghana and India. Through TFT, 
we also completed baselines in Malaysia, Indonesia, 
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. 
These baselines continue to inform our work. In some 
cases, we have now been able to put in place more 
permanent monitoring systems to track our progress. In 
others, we will carry out a new baseline in a few years’ time 
to assess the new status and review the progress made.
Taking a holistic approach
Once we understand farmers’ needs, Theory of Change 
methodology allows us to measure our activities’ impact, 
addressing things where they matter. Theory of change 
identifies desired long-term goals, then works back to 
determine the conditions that must be in place for the 
goals to occur. This approach has, initially, been 
implemented in our Farmer Connect coffee supply chain. 
Backed by a key performance indicator framework, 
Theory of Change provides a global approach with a local 
focus, and will take our work forward as we look to scale 
up and deliver lasting impact.
Developing smallholders’ capabilities
Throughout Farmer Connect, and more recently under 
the umbrella of responsible sourcing in multi-tier 
upstream supply chains, we are partnering with TFT 
on initiatives to support smallholders. TFT’s Rurality 
programme aims to build smallholder inclusion in our 
supply chains in Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Indonesia, Malaysia 
and Peru, while building smallholder resiliency and 
responsible production capability.
“Nestlé’s Rural Development 
Framework is an example of how a 
large brand can lead with conscience. 
The RDF gives us a wider view 
of rural families’ lives and how 
shared responsibility of companies, 
governments and rural leaders can 
alleviate poverty, support women 
leaders, and improve incomes and 
nutrition. Among peer companies, 
Nestlé’s work is challenging other 
corporate leaders to think and 
act more ambitiously towards 
sustainable livelihoods.”
Stephanie Daniels, Sustainable Food Lab
Rural development assessments
Identifying the support farmers need
To support farmers in addressing the challenges they 
face and make farming more attractive, we need to 
understand their needs. Only then can we identify the 
activities that will help farmers grow and develop. Using 
diagnostic tools, we have assessed the sustainability of 
farmers’ livelihoods. The insights gained helped shape 
the focus of our support programmes. 
Our commitment: 
Roll-out of rural development 
assessments to understand 
the needs of farmers.
By 2018: Establish a total of 18 baseline assessments in the sourcing 
locations of key importance to our business that show pronounced 
social need, to guide us in aligning our own activities with the 
priorities of farmers and local communities.
 Achieved
Our results:
18 baseline assessments completed.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
52
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Supporting farmers globally
Providing farmers with access to markets, coupled with 
training on farm management and good agricultural 
practices to help them increase their yields, is critical 
to improving farmer incomes and boosting rural 
development. Our Theory of Change approach – shifting 
our focus towards outcomes and impacts, and assessing 
the improvements facilitated by our actions – will allow us 
to evaluate and demonstrate the results of our activities 
on farmers’ livelihoods and rural communities. 
Our focus is on training farmers in good agricultural 
practices in diverse ways, helping them grow safe, 
high-quality raw materials, and develop resilient, 
sustainable farms. 
Making an impact for good
In Thailand, through our Sustainable Agriculture Initiative at 
Nestlé (SAIN) programme, we have established coffee 
farmer groups and implemented the Nescafé Ambassador 
programme. The groups identify the root causes of low 
productivity, such as lack of knowledge of good 
agricultural practices and low-yielding plant varieties. 
Through training and the provision of higher-yielding 
plants, we address these challenges, while the 
Ambassadors – chosen for their interpersonal skills and 
motivational qualities – encourage farmers to adopt the 
new practices. Results have been very positive; one 
farmer group, the Lom Choy group, increased its coffee 
production from 0.7 tonnes/ha in 2015 to 1.2 tonnes/ha 
in 2017, boosting incomes as a result. 
In Vietnam, we have been monitoring coffee farmers’ 
adoption of the Nescafé Better Farming Practices and 
assessing the impact on their income and livelihoods. 
Through adopting these tools, coffee farmers have 
increased their incomes by up to 24% over five years. 
Other SAIN programmes among the 22 active in 
2017 include:
•	 The Escuela Nescafé (Nescafé School) in Mexico, a 
one-week training programme for farmers to develop 
business and planning skills, and the Aula Virtual 
Nescafé, an online e-learning platform;
•	 Improving Ecuadorian cocoa farmers’ productivity and 
income while strengthening responsible sourcing 
through applying the UTZ certification scheme; and
•	 Encouraging intercropping – growing different crops 
simultaneously – in Vietnam to improve ecosystems 
and generate new income streams – in some cases 
doubling their income. 
431 000
farmers trained in good 
agricultural practices
Improving farm economics
Building long-term farming futures
If farms do not generate enough income, they will not 
attract and retain young farmers. Already, the farming 
population is ageing, and fewer than 5% of farmers in 
rural areas are under 35. Improving farm economics 
and ensuring viable futures for farmers are essential if 
we are to achieve long-term supplies of safe, quality 
raw materials. 
Our commitment: 
Improve the farm economics among 
farmers who supply us.
By 2018: Improve farm economics in seven priority sourcing 
locations based on the results of the RDF baselines. Farm 
economics comprises the following four factors on which Nestlé 
will focus: productivity, quality, costs and price premiums.
 In progress
Our results:
We have developed proposed interventions and implementation 
will begin in 2018.
431 000 farmers trained in good agricultural practices.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
53
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Inspiring long-term change
We are working with local partners to implement targeted 
interventions that inspire long-term behavioural change 
while respecting local customs and traditions:
•	 Training farmers on nutrition, especially women, 
who are often responsible for feeding their families;
•	 Promoting intercropping, kitchen gardens and 
livestock, providing better nutrition security; 
•	 Providing improved vegetable planting materials 
that withstand drought and disease, increasing yields; 
and
•	 Extending the Nestlé Healthy Kids Global 
Programme into rural areas, helping children 
understand how good nutrition sets them up for life.
In Kenya, we are a member of FOSEK (Food security in 
Ethiopia and Kenya), a public–private partnership led by 
the civil society organisation Solidaridad, which aims to 
improve food security for 120 000 coffee farmers and their 
families by 2020. With Coffee Management Services, we 
are offering training on better agricultural practices, and 
providing awareness and training on nutrition as well as 
encouraging the development of kitchen gardens. We’re 
also strengthening farmers’ co-operatives and women’s 
empowerment programmes.
“We aim to increase farmer income 
and improve the availability and 
accessibility of nutritious food in 
diversified (cash/food) crop production 
systems. Nestlé is a valuable partner in 
this project, because together we 
reach out to their coffee suppliers. 
Besides acting as coffee buyer, Nestlé 
contributes its vast expertise on 
healthy diets and nutrition. Combining 
their knowledge on nutrition with the 
agronomic and supply chain expertise 
of Solidaridad and its partners makes 
this an all-round food security project.” 
Annelot Van Leeuwen, Corporate Partnerships Manager, 
Solidaridad
Helping farmers on the ground
Our Nescafé Plan is working with coffee farmers in central 
and eastern Kenya as part of its Beyond the Cup initiative. 
In 2017, Rural Outreach Africa (ROA) published the results 
of a survey showing that, overall, 70.9% of the farmers 
surveyed had an inadequate dietary diversity score (DDS), 
and only 25.4% of households with children under 5 had 
an adequate DDS. This was exacerbated by a prolonged 
drought and resulting food scarcity. ROA’s assessment 
found our initiative had a positive effect on the farmers’ 
DDS, largely due to the adoption of kitchen gardens, as 
well as providing new routes to market, disease-resistant 
plants and technical assistance. 
Improve food availability and dietary diversity
Tackling nutrition insecurity in our farming communities
Our analysis shows that as many as 70% of farming 
families in some countries can be short of food for up 
to three months. Our Rural Development Framework 
(RDF) baselines found many have diets lacking 
diversity, and are especially poor in protein and 
nutrient-dense foods such as vegetables, dairy and 
fruit. By addressing these challenges, we can help 
farmers and their families live healthy lives and achieve 
their potential. 
Our commitment: 
Improve food availability and dietary 
diversity among farmers who supply us.
By 2018: Improve food availability and dietary diversity in five 
priority sourcing locations based upon the results of the Rural 
Development Framework (RDF) baselines.
 In progress
Our results:
Pilot schemes are under way in three countries to prove methodologies. 
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
54
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Expanding our responsible sourcing 
In 2017, we continued to work towards our responsible 
sourcing goal and achieved our overall objectives for the 
year. We exceeded some targets, although progress 
varied across categories due to individual circumstances 
in each supply chain. 
Extending our animal welfare commitment
We announced our aim to source only eggs from cage-
free hens for all our foods products globally by 2025.
Our 2017 progress in sourcing our 12 priority ingredients responsibly
Traceable 
Responsibly Sourced 
Commodity 
(with key uses and supply chain challenges)
Target 
%
Actual 
%
Level of traceability
Target 
%
Actual 
%
Cereal 
45
 41.4
Back to farm
35
 37.3
Cocoa
N/A
 42.9
Back to plantation
N/A
 42.9
Coffee
54
 54
Back to group of farms/
plantations
54
 54
Dairy 
80
 81.1
Back to farm
75
 81.1
Fish and seafood 
99
 57
Whole fish only, back to 
fishery/ farm
40
 25
Hazelnuts 
85
 88
Back to farm
55
 77
Meat, poultry and eggs
31
 26.8
Back to farm
16
 20.2
Palm oil**
70 
 48
Back to plantation
65
 58
Pulp and paper
80
 91
Back to country of origin 
(applies to virgin fibre only). 
Responsibly Sourced figures 
include recycled fibre. 
60
 58
Soya 
70
78
At least back to mill
50
 75
Sugar 
80
 68.5
At least back to mill
60
 52.2
Vanilla
95
 98.5
Back to plantation
70
 92
All categories
60
 63
All categories
50
57
Implement responsible sourcing and promote 
animal welfare
Building supply chain resilience
Consumers and stakeholders increasingly want to 
know what is in their food, where it comes from and 
how it is made, and companies need to respond to 
those demands. Transparency in our supply chains 
and responsible sourcing are therefore essential to 
ensuring a sustainable future for our business. 
Our commitment: 
Implement responsible sourcing in our 
supply chain and promote animal welfare.
By 2018: For Tier 1 suppliers, cover 80% of the total spend and 
volume sourced from audited and compliant suppliers*.
 In progress
Our results:
63% of our 12 priority categories of raw materials are traceable.
By 2020: For upstream, 80% of the spend and volume of our priority 
categories to be traceable and 70% to be Responsibly Sourced*. 
 In progress
Our results:
57% of our 12 priority categories of raw materials are 
Responsibly Sourced.
Progress against our objectives
* The 2020 objectives were changed last year to reflect the fact that spend, 
as well as volume, is a criteria we use to measure compliance.
** In 2017, the proportion of palm oil we purchased that was responsibly sourced 
was greater than the amount that was traceable. This is because some of the 
volume purchased was RSPO certified or came under ‘Action Plan palm oil’, 
but could not be traced back to specific coordinates on a plantation.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
55
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Building a resilient coffee supply chain
Demand for coffee is growing, but so is pressure on 
arable land as other crops compete for space. Improving 
farmers’ productivity is critical to ensuring sustainable 
long-term coffee supplies. We address this through two 
key programmes:
The Nescafé Plan
The world’s largest coffee sustainability programme, 
active in 17 countries, makes Nestlé the largest buyer, 
by volume, of Responsibly Sourced coffee.
Continuously improving our green coffee supply chain
Addressing the challenges in coffee growing
We need to secure supplies of high-quality coffee, but 
coffee growers face serious challenges, such as low 
incomes and food insecurity. Plus, ageing or diseased 
trees, declining yields, climate change and, in some 
cases, conflict all threaten smallholders’ livelihoods 
and the sustainability of the sector. Our response is 
through programmes that address these threats at 
individual, community and landscape levels. 
Our commitment: 
Continuously improve our green coffee 
supply chain.
In 2017, the Plan’s strategic framework was redesigned to 
focus on measuring positive impact. Nescafé and 
Nespresso began implementing our Farmer Advanced 
Management System (FARMS) in our Farmer Connect 
value chains. This encompassed individual identification 
of farms and farmers, and our interactions with them, 
enabling us to create system-based assessments of a 
transparent value chain. We also increased our focus on 
labour rights, partnering with NGO Verité in Mexico to 
assess labour rights violations. This assessment is a first 
step towards building a system to identify and remediate 
issues in our value chain. 
The Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program
Reaching more than 75 000 farmers in 12 countries, the 
programme aims to secure supplies of the highest-quality 
coffee, protect the environment in which it is cultivated 
and build long-term stability in coffee communities. The 
AAA operations are currently on hold in South Sudan, one 
of the 12 countries, due to unstable conditions following a 
return to armed conflict.
In 2017, around CHF 36 million was invested in coffee 
operations, technical assistance and farmers’ premiums. 
As part of the programme, agroforestry and reforestation 
practices continued to be deployed as a climate adaptation 
solution for farmers, and more than 2.5 million shade-
providing trees have now been planted in and around 
coffee farms since 2014. 
The Positive Cup
Nespresso launched its first GRI-compliant sustainability 
report in 2017. Entitled The Positive Cup, it details the 
progress made through Nespresso’s approach to Creating 
Shared Value. In particular, it focuses on supporting 
coffee farmers and production, recycling and addressing 
climate change. 
By 2020: 70% of the total Nescafé coffee supply to be 
Responsibly Sourced.
 In progress
Our results:
2017: 54% of total Nescafé coffee supply is Responsibly Sourced.
By 2020: Nescafé to improve the quality, quantity and sustainability 
of its coffee supply chain by distributing 220 million coffee plantlets. 
 In progress
Our results:
2017: 30.9 million coffee plantlets distributed.
By 2020: Nescafé to improve coffee farm economics in at least four 
coffee-sourcing countries.
 New
Our results:
Reporting to start in 2018.
By 2020: Nescafé to monitor and improve labour rights in at least two 
coffee-sourcing countries. 
 New
Our results:
Reporting to start in 2018.
By 2020: Source towards 100% of the coffee for Nespresso’s 
permanent range through its AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program on 
coffee sourcing. 
 In progress
Our results:
2017: 90% of Nespresso coffee sourced through the 
AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
56
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

The Nestlé Cocoa Plan
To improve farmers’ productivity and product quality – 
and, consequently, their incomes – we provide training 
in better agricultural practices, distribute higher-yielding 
cocoa trees, promote gender equality, address child 
labour and develop long-term relationships with farmer 
groups. As the programme becomes established, we are 
evolving training methods to include coaching, business 
training and a differentiated approach for the best farmers. 
We also work with partners such as the World Cocoa 
Foundation’s CocoaAction, an industry-wide strategy 
for cocoa sustainability. 
Stopping deforestation
There was a significant, industry-wide focus in 2017 on 
tackling deforestation. Nestlé is already committed to 
eliminating deforestation from our supply chains by 2020. 
In November, we signed the Cocoa & Forests Initiative 
Framework of Action. This aims to end deforestation in 
Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, promote reforestation and 
secure sustainable livelihoods for affected people.
Addressing child labour
We work closely with the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI) 
to identify the challenges of, and solutions for, child labour. 
Our Child Labour Monitoring and Remediation System 
(CLMRS) grew further in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana in 2017, 
and now includes 65 486 farmers in 95 co-operatives. The 
scheme’s effectiveness was highlighted in an evaluation 
survey showing more than half the children engaged in 
child labour in 2013–15 were no longer involved. In 2017, 
the remediation was extended in partnership with the 
Jacobs Foundation TRECC programme to include literacy 
education, bridge schools and schooling in villages with no 
education infrastructure. 
Tackling child labour 
2017 saw the publication of our first Tackling 
Child Labour report. It details the work we are 
doing with the ICI to identify the causes of child 
labour and implement solutions, and marks a 
major step forward in our efforts to deal with 
the challenge.
What we have achieved
Community members educated on child labour issues
289 657
Community awareness-raising sessions conducted 
since 2012
5557
Number of communities in which CLMRS 
is operating
2201 
Number of farmers covered by CLMRS
65 486
5–17 year olds currently being monitored by the 
Nestlé Cocoa Plan CLMRS with scale-up continuing
67 245
Children being helped to date in the upstream supply 
chain by the Nestlé Cocoa Plan CLMRS
6346
Percentage reduction of child labour in our supply 
chain over the last three years
51%
Supporting cocoa farmers and their communities
Better farming, better lives, better cocoa
Cocoa farmers face numerous challenges, such as 
ageing or diseased trees, depleted soil, poor 
agricultural practices, child labour and deforestation. 
The Nestlé Cocoa Plan addresses these challenges and 
aims to improve the lives of farmers and their 
communities through three pillars: better farming, 
better lives and better cocoa. 
Our commitment: 
Roll out the Nestlé Cocoa Plan 
with cocoa farmers.
By 2017: Source 150 000 tonnes of cocoa through the 
Nestlé Cocoa Plan. 
 Achieved
Our results:
186 358 tonnes of cocoa sourced through the Nestlé Cocoa Plan 
in 2017.
By 2018: Source 175 000 tonnes of cocoa through the 
Nestlé Cocoa Plan. 
 In progress
By 2020: Source 230 000 tonnes of cocoa through the 
Nestlé Cocoa Plan.  
 In progress
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
57
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Our dairy purchasing
Dairy is part of our Farmer Connect programme. In 20161, 
we bought approximately 13.2 million tonnes of fresh milk 
and fresh milk equivalents, either directly from our milk 
districts or sourced from Tier 1 suppliers. Our milk district 
model is an integral part of our Farmer Connect programme. 
It helps us develop shorter, more sustainable supply chains 
and drive positive change through direct relationships with 
around 306 000 farmers and farming communities in 31 
countries around the world. 
The dairy industry globally is coming together through the 
Dairy Sustainability Framework (DSF), which provides a 
holistic approach to drive and measure improvements in 
sustainable dairy. We strongly welcome and support this, 
and will play an active role within the DSF.
Dairy 4 You
Dairy 4 You continues to act as an umbrella for a range 
of activities as part of our brand purpose. It has two 
main objectives: 
•	 To help continuously improve our milk sourcing 
operations, with special focus on traceability, trusted 
milk quality, responsible sourcing and agripreneurship; 
and 
•	 To proactively share with consumers information on 
the entire value chain, on the work done with local 
farmers and communities and on all the projects to 
enhance environmental sustainability (particularly on 
water, emissions and natural resources).
Consumers want to understand what is behind the 
brand, such as where the milk they buy comes from. 
By incorporating Dairy 4 You into brand messaging – 
such as with Nido in Chile and Ecuador in 2017 – we can 
be more open and transparent to consumers about the 
animal welfare standards, environmental practices and 
farmer training in our supply chain. 
1	 Nestlé’s milk report for 2017 will be published in April 2018, which falls out of scope of the 2017 CSV reporting cycle. The 2016 figure is, therefore, the 
most recent year for which we have complete data.
Dairy
Sourcing our largest ingredient
Our dairy purchases are sourced from more than 
30 countries around the globe, creating value for the 
local rural communities. We have established 
dedicated milk sourcing teams to directly purchase 
from farmers, and provided tailored technical 
assistance while creating short, efficient 
supply chains. 
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
58
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Seventy years ago, in 1948, the Universal 
Declaration of Human Rights was adopted 
by the United Nations General Assembly, 
affirming our inalienable human rights. 
In order to continue to promote and 
uphold respect for these universal rights, 
real action by all actors is required.
Why respecting and promoting human rights matters
Every individual should have access to the basic rights and 
freedoms necessary for them to live with dignity. These 
are our human rights, yet millions of people around the 
world are negatively affected by abuses of these rights.
Since we last reported on our human rights programme, a lot 
has changed externally and within Nestlé: from an evolving 
and more stringent regulatory landscape to a deeper global 
understanding that protecting human rights is at the core of 
achieving the UN Sustainable Development Agenda.
In the 10 years since we started out on our human rights 
journey, we have continued to evolve and refine our 
approach to managing and mitigating human rights issues 
across our business operations and value chain. 
In 2017, we built upon our operational human rights 
activities, and extended these further into our supply chain, 
most notably in conducting our first human rights impact 
assessment in our upstream agricultural supply chain. Our 
experience has taught us that we cannot achieve scaleable, 
sustainable change in our supply chains on our own, but 
through working effectively with others. This collaborative 
approach underpinned the human rights impact 
assessment, which was carried out with our supplier Golden 
Agri-Resources (GAR) and key partners the Danish Institute 
for Human Rights and TFT. Collaboration like this brings 
together sector capability with human rights expertise, 
facilitating a cross-fertilisation of ideas and approaches. By 
taking this kind of holistic, pragmatic approach, Nestlé aims 
to be better able to identify and develop meaningful actions 
to address any issues identified. 
As we look ahead, we will continue to strengthen our 
human rights activities in our upstream supply chains, 
working with partners such as TFT, Proforest and Verité to 
embed them into our established responsible sourcing 
programmes. We look forward to reporting on our 
progress in the coming months.
“We have formally incorporated our 
human rights commitment into our 
Corporate Business Principles and into 
our Management Principles. These are 
the guiding principles we expect each 
and every Nestlé employee to live by, 
every day, wherever they are in the 
world. And these are not negotiable.” 
Paul Bulcke, Chairman, Nestlé
Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals
All our salient issues are directly reflected in the 
17 SDGs, as demonstrated throughout this report. 
The efforts we take to respect human rights 
contribute to sustainable development for millions 
of people. Our work on human rights contributes the 
most to the following SDGs:
Respecting and promoting 
human rights in our 
business activities
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
59
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Strengthening our human rights due diligence
In 2017, we continued to roll out our Human Rights Due 
Diligence Programme at all levels, and reviewed and 
incorporated additional elements on human rights into our 
revised CARE Audit Protocol. Our human rights due 
diligence helps us to stay ahead of regulatory changes, 
which we expect to become more stringent at the 
international and national level. 
Addressing our salient issues
We extended our operational human rights activities into 
our upstream agricultural supply chain in 2017, including 
our first human rights impact assessment in our palm oil 
supply chain. This marked a significant shift from our 
previous business-focused approach, and is why we have 
refined our 2018 objective. 
We also continued to make progress in the development 
and evolution of the action plans we have put in place for 
each of our 11 salient human rights issues. 
Employee training 
As part of our commitment objective to train all Nestlé 
employees on human rights by 2020, we are currently 
revising and rolling out an updated human rights training 
module for all employees. We first launched our employee 
human rights training in 2011, and have so far trained 
96 599 employees, so felt that now was the right time to 
update the content to ensure it remains relevant and 
accessible to our employees.
In addition to general awareness raising, we are 
developing and rolling out tailored training programmes 
for functions across the business with specific exposure 
to human rights risk or responsibility for managing our 
performance. We started this roll-out with the launch of 
a Legal Module at the end of 2017, and plan to launch a 
tailored Procurement Module in 2018. 
	 You can read more about the specific issues and action 
plans on our website and in our UNGP Reporting 
Framework Index
	 Read more about our 11 salient human rights 
issues here 
Addressing human rights impacts
Tackling our salient issues
In order to ensure that we uphold our corporate 
responsibility to respect human rights in line with the 
UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, 
we must focus on where we have the greatest potential 
impact. We have identified 11 salient human rights 
issues and developed action plans for each*. We define 
salient issues as those human rights at risk of the most 
severe negative impact on rights holders through the 
company’s activities and business relationships. 
Our commitment: 
Assess and address human rights 
impacts across our business activities. 
By 2017: Strengthen human rights mainstreaming into existing 
standards, audit protocols and due diligence procedures, in 
particular for: our own facilities, including greenfield and brownfield 
projects; local communities; our business partners, including local 
distributors, co-manufacturers and joint ventures; and mergers 
and acquisitions. 
 In progress
Our results:
In 2017, we continued to embed human rights across our business 
activities. However, given the scale and complexity of the work at 
hand, we were not able to fully complete all elements of our 2017 
commitment. We will continue to work on embedding human rights, 
with particular focus on our supply chains, in 2018 and beyond.
Our CARE audit programme has been updated, and a new version 
piloted. ‘Promoting and respecting human rights’, as part of 
our re-articulated corporate purpose, was communicated to 
all employees. 
By 2018: Carry out six human rights impact assessments in our 
upstream supply chain. 
 In progress
Our results:
By end 2017, we carried out our first HRIA in our upstream palm oil 
supply chain in Indonesia focused on labour rights. Taking this work 
into our supply chains has increased its scale and complexity, so we 
are likely to carry out a limited number of HRIAs in our upstream 
supply chain by 2018.  We also achieved our outstanding 2015 
objective to ensure that all 13 FTSE4Good Countries of Concern 
where we operate are covered by a human rights impact assessment 
(with the exception of Saudi Arabia and joint ventures in China). 
By 2019: Have a functioning governance structure in place in all 
markets that looks after human rights risks and opportunities. 
 In progress
Our results:
By end 2017, we had conducted training for in-house legal counsel 
across the head office, three Zones and markets. 
By 2020: Train all Nestlé employees on human rights.
 In progress
Our results:
An update to our human rights e-learning module for all employees 
is currently being developed and rolled out. We are also developing 
tailored training for business functions with specific exposure to 
human rights risk or responsibility for managing our performance. 
Progress against our objectives
* With the exception of Land Acquisition, to which we are taking a 
different approach due to the issue involved. See our UNGP Reporting 
Framework for further details.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
60
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Setting clear priorities
In May 2017, we published Labour Rights in Agricultural 
Supply Chains: A Roadmap, building on our work to 
identify our salient human rights issues, and setting clear 
priorities for each. This has enabled us to identify and 
prioritise 11 countries that present higher levels of 
labour risks and from which we source our 12 priority 
commodities. As a result, we are better able to direct our 
labour rights remediation activities. 
Where labour rights challenges are already identified, 
we begin immediate remediation where possible. Where 
we need more time to understand the challenges and 
design solutions, remediation will commence between 
now and 2020. 
Defending rights, improving livelihoods
In Thailand, we made significant progress in implementing 
our action plan to tackle human rights abuses in the 
seafood supply chain, with the development of a new 
training vessel for boat owners, workers and others. In 
Turkey, where migrant labour forms a large part of the 
workforce in our hazelnut supply chain, we have been 
working with the Fair Labor Association (FLA) since 2011 to 
improve transparency in the hazelnut supply chain. After 
six years of continuous work, we are 100% traceable in 
Turkey and are implementing a monitoring and remediation 
system for tackling child labour and other human rights 
issues. From 2011 to 2015, FLA assessments showed 
progress in reducing the incidence of child labour. 
However in 2017, ongoing political turmoil in the region has 
directly affected the incidence of child labour in agriculture.
We participate in the Consumer Goods Forum’s Business 
Actions Against Forced Labour, which advocates 
responsible actions to end forced labour. We also joined 
the Responsible Labor Initiative, which promotes the 
rights of workers vulnerable to forced labour. 
Tackling the causes of child labour
We need to detect child labour and tackle its causes, 
wherever they appear in our supply chain. We work 
with stakeholders to identify the causes, and develop 
and implement effective solutions. With our partners, 
Nestlé provides comprehensive monitoring, effective 
remediation and targeted support. 
In 2017, we published Tackling Child Labour, our first report 
on child labour in our cocoa supply chain. The report details 
our efforts to spearhead the food and beverage industry’s 
approach to a highly complex issue, and our work to prevent 
and eliminate child labour in our supply chain. 
Taking action with our partners
Addressing human rights abuses is a shared responsibility 
and we welcome dialogue, engagement and collective 
action with all those committed to making sustained 
progress in addressing them. We continue to work with 
our global and local partners and have intensified our 
investment and activities with the ILO, the Turkish Ministry 
of Labour, local suppliers Olam and Balsu, trade 
association CAOBISCO, and international and local NGOs.  
Since 2015, for 28 months, the financial support of the US 
Department of Labor has allowed us to further engage 
with various stakeholders to find better ways to address 
labour issues, including child labour. We will continue to 
implement and scale up many of the effective initiatives 
we have put in place along our suppliers, NGOs and the 
local authorities to improve the working and living 
conditions of seasonal migrant workers.
	 Read more about our work here
Protecting labour rights and children in our supply chain
Improving workers’ livelihoods
Nestlé is against all forms of human rights violations, 
including labour rights violations. This is outlined in 
our policy: Nestlé Commitment on Labour Rights in 
Agricultural Supply Chains. 
As we look at human rights impacts beyond our 
operations, 7 of our 11 salient issues relate to labour 
rights, and are associated with our agricultural 
supply chains.
Our commitment: 
Improve workers’ livelihoods and protect 
children in our agricultural supply chain.
By 2017: Release the roadmap with clear priorities for each salient 
labour rights issue. 
 Achieved
Our results:
Roadmap published in May 2017.
By 2018: Start reporting on the number of workers in agricultural 
supply chains having benefited from our interventions on selected 
salient labour rights issues. 
 In progress
Our results:
Reporting to start in 2018.
By 2020: Start reporting on the number of workers in agricultural 
supply chains having benefited from our interventions on all salient 
labour rights issues.
 In progress
Our results:
Reporting to start in 2020.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
61
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

We continue to increase our efforts towards this 
commitment. We employ a variety of methods from 
e-learning modules to presentations, and have embraced 
new ways to reach employees, such as using mobile 
phones, team meetings and shift-change meetings. 
Since 2015, 194 634 employees with computers have 
completed compliance e-learning, 98.7% of the total. 
Living our culture 
We aim to ensure a culture of integrity and respect, not 
just in our company but throughout our supply chain, 
so that all our employees and those with whom we work 
live our culture and values. 
In 2017, we focused on ensuring key corporate 
compliance practices were in place and reinforced our 
business integrity and compliance culture. These were 
achieved through leadership by example from senior 
management, and by a redesign of our compliance audit 
programme, CARE. 
Our Communication Best Practices Toolkit was shared 
with all our markets in 2017, enabling them to develop 
market compliance communications. This was supported 
by our ‘We make Nestlé’ campaign, together with 
briefings, staff discussions and internal publications.
“Respect has a special and powerful 
meaning at Nestlé. It profoundly 
influences the way we work and 
run our business. Our values are 
visible in our behaviours, in our 
actions and decisions.” 
Mark Schneider, Chief Executive Officer, Nestlé
Driving integrity: the CARE audit programme 
Our CARE programme uses independent assessments 
to measure compliance with key principles. In 2017, 
we made the questionnaire more user-friendly. Content 
was enhanced around the themes of human rights, 
harassment and protection of parenthood, and we added 
a local communities theme. We confirmed the CARE audit 
cycle as three years worldwide, and enhanced the role of 
the Market Compliances Committee, which becomes the 
key driver for CARE and responsible for its governance. 
These changes strengthen and further embed CARE in 
Nestlé’s culture. 
In 2017, we carried out 146 CARE audits, which identified 
135 gaps requiring action. Of these, 15 have been 
remedied; the remainder are being addressed. 
CARE gaps
Type of gap
Minor
Major
Critical
Closed
Degree
Health and safety
13
0
0
2
2 minor
Human rights and 
labour practices
41
21
0
8
7 minor
1 major
Business integrity
8
0
0
2
2 minor
Environment
27
0
0
2
2 minor
Security
9
1
0
1
1 minor
Total
98
22
0
15
Our culture of integrity
Upholding and promoting the highest standards across 
our business
Our values are reflected in the way we do business – 
always acting legally and honestly, with respect for our 
own people and for those with whom we do business, 
as well as for diversity and for the future. It is the 
responsibility of every one of us to bring our purpose 
and values to life.
Our commitment: 
Enhance a culture of integrity across 
the organisation.
By 2017: Employees with computers completing the compliance 
e-learning process started in 2015. Markets confirming that key 
corporate compliance practices are in place and improvement 
areas defined. 
 Achieved
Our results:
98.7% of employees with computers have completed compliance 
e-learning.
100% of markets have confirmed key corporate compliance 
practices are in place. 
By 2018: Markets launching a compliance communication plan 
further reinforcing tone at the top and speaking up. CARE audit 
enhanced on human rights and schedules defined for Nestlé sites 
with the new protocol.
 In progress
Our results:
Compliance communication best practices reinforcing tone at the 
top and speaking up have been shared with all the markets in 2017.  
New CARE audit programme enhanced on human rights has been 
developed and piloted in 2017.
By 2019: Markets reinforcing compliance as a leadership 
responsibility based on corporate toolkit for training managers on 
business integrity. 
 In progress
Our results:
In 2018, markets will receive a toolkit to be implemented in 2019.
By 2020: A proactive review is conducted for our compliance 
activities and policies in light of our evolving product portfolio.
 In progress
Our results:
The review process is currently in development.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
62
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Our values are rooted in respect. Ensuring 
decent employment, diversity and 
inclusion are therefore key aspects of 
Nestlé’s culture. We aim to provide a 
workplace that generates equal 
opportunities for everyone, and in which 
people are treated with dignity and 
respect. We are expanding our efforts to 
strengthen this inclusive culture, helping 
us leverage the unique skills, knowledge 
and experiences of our diverse workforce.
Why promoting decent employment and 
diversity matters
The ILO states that decent employment means having:
•	 Opportunities for work that is productive and delivers 
a fair income;
•	 Security in the workplace and social protection 
for families;
•	 Better prospects for personal development and 
social integration;
•	 Freedom for people to express their concerns, 
organise and participate in the decisions that 
affect their lives; and
•	 Equality of opportunity and treatment for all 
women and men.
Decent employment, diversity and inclusion strengthen 
and enrich our company and make Nestlé an employer of 
choice. Research shows that these factors motivate and 
engage employees, which leads to high performance 
and innovation. 
Nestlé is a highly diverse company, and we want to reflect 
the diversity of the society in which we operate. Our main 
focus areas are gender balance, reflected in our 
commitment to the UN Women’s Empowerment 
Principles, increasing our cultural diversity and ensuring 
all employees in Nestlé are paid a living wage. Throughout 
the organisation, we also include local initiatives 
depending on local needs and legislation for better 
inclusion of people with disabilities, different generations 
and sexual orientation (LGBT). We also continue to act on 
Nestlé & I engagement results, and leverage our internal 
communication platforms to make Nestlé a safe place to 
share ideas, concerns and suggestions. 
It is also essential that we provide a safe workplace for 
all our employees, protecting and promoting their 
well-being. All our sites operate to high standards for 
safety and health, and employees are encouraged and 
supported to lead healthy lives, contributing to a 
workforce that is healthy, safe and motivated.
“Success is directly related to the 
quality of our people. We invest 
in them and they stay with us.” 
Paul Bulcke, Chairman, Nestlé
Our work promoting decent employment and 
diversity contributes to the following SDGs:
Promoting decent 
employment and diversity
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
63
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Creating opportunities for the world’s youth
In 2017, we announced the ambition for our expanded 
global youth initiative (GYI), Nestlé needs YOUth, at the 
Private Sector Forum of the United Nations General 
Assembly in New York. The GYI’s broader scope is guiding 
our work towards reaching our ambition to help create 
economic opportunities across our entire supply chain 
for 10 million young around the world by 2030. 
Employability and employment constitute a critical action 
area, which is why we set commitments going to 2020 
about the opportunities we offer to youth as part of our 
operations. We believe the skills acquired by our 
apprentices, trainees, young employees and youth making 
use of the training tools available to them online and 
delivered at readiness-for-work events will help them in a 
rapidly changing economic landscape. In 2017, we offered 
job opportunities for 30 157 people under 30 all around the 
world, along with 11 710 apprenticeships and traineeships. 
Promoting youth employment and employability
Providing opportunities for young people globally
Youth unemployment is a serious global issue, 
affecting millions of young people and contributing to 
global poverty. As a major employer, we recognise 
that we can make a positive difference by providing 
employment opportunities and skills development.
We offer apprenticeships, training schemes and 
initiatives to equip young people with the skills required 
for the workplace. Through these schemes we want to 
play a significant role in tackling youth unemployment.
Our commitment: 
Roll out our Nestlé needs YOUth initiative 
across all our operations.
On 29 November, we supported the launch of the ILO’s 
Decent Jobs for Youth engagement platform. Initiatives 
like this one show how business can help young people 
be better prepared to enter the world of work. It is only 
by working together with other businesses, government 
and civil society that we can find solutions to these 
global challenges.
	 Read more about our Nestlé needs YOUth initiative
Africa Youth Day
On 1st November 2017, Africa Youth Day, Nestlé joined 
the continent-wide celebrations and discussions to 
promote the important role young people play as key 
agents for economic growth and sustainable 
development. For this occasion, many Nestlé markets 
showcased their most impactful activities, such as 
MYOWBU (My Own Business), the work in the 
Technical Training Centre in Nigeria and the 
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)-
supported farmer training. They are all examples of the 
long-term commitment that the company has made to 
identify, nourish and build talent in Africa. Nestlé 
CWAR (Central West African Region) also had the 
opportunity to take part in the Africa Youth SDG 
Summit in Accra, Ghana, and discuss with young 
people how the Global Youth Initiative can help them 
develop the skills they need to join the world of work.
By 2020: Nestlé needs YOUth Initiative commits to deliver: 
•	 45 000 to 50 000 apprenticeship and traineeship opportunities;
•	 Continued readiness-for-work events globally, with an increasing 
number of employees involved in such events; 
•	 Enhanced collaboration with external partners to motivate them 
to join and to increase impact; and
•	 20 000 to 25 000 job opportunities for people under 30 years of 
age every year. 
 In progress
Our results:
30 157 job opportunities and 11 710 apprenticeships and 
traineeships offered to people under the age of 30. 
3815 readiness-for-work events organised to help prepare 
young people for work, with 10 764 employees volunteering 
for such events. 
The Alliance for YOUth continued to grow, reaching 331 partners. 
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
64
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Investing in our people
In 2017, we hosted training for 2554 employees at our 
international training and conference centre (Rive-Reine) 
in Switzerland. The percentage of female trainees rose 
to 48%.
2017 management level courses
Number of 
sessions
Approximate 
number of 
attendees
Leadership Through Safety®
117
1323
Environmental Sustainability Leadership
6
55
Embedding our Corporate Business Principles 
The 10 Nestlé Corporate Business Principles guide how 
Nestlé managers and employees work, and are integrated 
in business planning, auditing and performance reviews. 
They are associated with specific policies and reference 
codes, where compliance procedures are outlined. We are 
committed to making sure our entire company is managed 
according to the Nestlé Corporate Business Principles and 
require adherence to them from all our employees. 
Reinforcing this, the Principles are fully embedded into 
all international training centre courses. 
31.9
Average hours of training 
per year per employee
Empowering employees to be environmental stewards
Since 2014, environmental awareness training was 
conducted in 101 countries. Our e-learning course enables 
employees to enhance their knowledge and learn how to 
apply environmentally sustainable business practices. 
Providing training to our people
Equipping our workforce with essential skills
Our people are at the heart of our business. Everything 
we do, and all our success, is dependent on them. We 
therefore have a responsibility to ensure that all our 
employees have access to training that enables them 
to gain the skills and learning they need to thrive and 
maximise their potential.
Our commitment: 
Provide training on Corporate 
Business Principles, nutrition and 
environmental sustainability. 
By 2017: Nestlé’s Corporate Business Principles are fully embedded 
in all courses at our international training centre and e-learning made 
available to all employees. 
 Achieved
Our results:
Our objective for embedding Nestlé’s Corporate Business Principles 
has been met, and e-learning is now available to all employees.
By 2020: Run environmental sustainability training in all countries 
and continue to strengthen environmental awareness among 
employees. 
 Achieved
Our results:
101 countries running environmental sustainability training 
since 2014.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
65
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Enhancing gender diversity
We track and monitor gender balance, achieving progress 
through a rigorous succession planning process, clear 
development plans and awareness-raising sessions, 
as well as initiatives including: 
•	 The Diversity and Inclusion Framework, which involves 
training on unconscious bias; 
•	 Flexible work arrangements and parental support 
initiatives, helping people combine work with personal 
or family arrangements; 
•	 Mentoring and coaching, providing employees with 
support so they can develop themselves; 
•	 Dual-career support for couples with 
international careers; 
•	 Gender balance e-learning; 
•	 Leading Together conferences, accelerating Nestlé’s 
diversity and inclusion journey;
•	 Participation in the Women’s International Networking 
(WIN) Conference; 
•	 Women’s empowerment activities through our cocoa, 
Nescafé and dairy plans; and
•	 Regular communication to all Nestlé markets to: 
encourage the identification of potential gender pay gaps; 
define action plans to close them; and ensure compliance 
with current and prospective local legislation.
	 Further details can be found in our GRI Index
Cascading unconscious bias
Unconscious bias training is embedded in a range of 
training programmes. In 2017, 3819 employees received 
such training, bringing the total to 10 656 since 2015. 
Nestlé India developed a customised module in Hindi to train 
factory employees; 135 union members across four 
factories were trained, and they cascaded the programme to 
employees, supported by the factories’ HR teams. The 
programme will be extended to other factories in 2018.
Nestlé Middle East organised a two-day diversity and 
inclusion event for senior managers’ committee 
(Mancom) members, facilitated by the Global Head of 
Diversity and Inclusion. The Awareness Workshop in 
English was recorded and made available to all 
employees, with subtitles in Arabic and Farsi. Each senior 
Mancom member has an objective to cascade the training 
material by January 2018 within the market.
Embedding gender balance in Brazil
The opening of a new Nescafé Dolce Gusto factory at 
Montes Claros, Brazil, presented an opportunity to 
embed diversity, inclusion and gender balance. Other 
Brazilian factories had found changing to more 
inclusive cultures challenging. Our site became an 
innovative project to create something different, 
building a diverse, inclusive, gender-balanced culture 
from the start.
When the factory opened, 43% of the workforce were 
women, compared with an average of 6% at other 
factories. It became a benchmark for other units, with 
the lowest incident rates and exemplary quality control.
Working towards gender balance
Challenging discrimination and promoting women’s rights
Women continue to face challenges in the global 
workplace. From limited access to training, tools and 
finance in agricultural communities to a lack of senior 
women managers in business, women are all too often 
under-represented and lacking a voice. We recognise that 
gender equality, women’s rights, education for women 
and women’s empowerment are critical to Creating 
Shared Value for our business. This is clearly articulated in 
our values, which enshrine a respect for diversity.
Our commitment: 
Enhance gender balance in our 
workforce and empower women 
across the entire value chain.
By 2017: Ensure that farmer training support programmes are: 
developing agripreneurs; equally accessible to men, women and 
young people; and available to farm workers. 
 In progress
Our results:
Our training is equally open to women and men of all ages. To ensure 
these groups are well represented, we have started to develop a 
baseline to assess the participation in basic support training and 
agripreneurship programmes. 
By 2018: Be a gender-balanced company by creating the enabling 
conditions in our work environment to achieve annual increases in 
the percentage of women managers and senior leaders (market 
management members and key roles at the centre). 
 In progress
Our results:
30% senior leadership positions held by women. 
37.5% leadership positions held by women.
By 2020: The livelihoods of women have been improved in five 
priority sourcing locations.
 In progress
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
66
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

We are continuing to expand our diversity journey in 
line with our Diversity and Inclusion Framework. The 
framework sets out the business case for our strategy 
to make an impact across:
•	 Innovation – the way we think; 
•	 Society – the way we act; and 
•	 Culture – the way we work together. 
Gender balance remains the prime focus, and is 
complemented by diversity issues such as inclusion of 
people with disabilities, cross-generational working and 
multiculturalism. Each market defines its own actions 
based on local needs and legislation. 
For Nestlé, being diverse and inclusive means: 
•	 Building an inclusive culture, leveraging the differences 
of our employees when working together; 
•	 Acting and engaging in an inclusive way with society 
and stakeholders in our diverse business environments 
across the entire value chain; and 
•	 Thinking about the needs of diverse consumers and 
customers in our products and services, and being 
inclusive in their accessibility. 
Cultural agility
To support this, in 2017 we created a one-day cultural 
diversity training programme for Nestlé leaders and 
employees to:
•	 Understand the impact of cultural differences on how 
people do business;
•	 Understand how to give feedback according to 
different cultures;
•	 Learn how communication and behaviour differs 
across cultures;
•	 Learn how to adapt email techniques according 
to culture;
•	 Adapt behaviour according to culture to reach 
objectives more efficiently; and
•	 Carry out self-assessments.
Nestlé Israel implemented several tools and initiatives to 
improve the employment level of Arabs in the company 
and has been recognised in 2017 as Israel’s leading 
company for employment diversity.
Empowering people with different abilities 
We aim to promote a culture that builds on strengths 
and focuses on abilities. We developed a global self-
assessment procedure for all our markets to benchmark 
themselves against the level of inclusion and types of 
activities for people with disabilities in the workplace. The 
objective is to track best practices and actions in training 
and awareness, return-to-work practice, accessibility of 
sites and workplace arrangements. 
Around the world, our businesses carried out a range of 
activities and programmes in 2017 to boost inclusivity 
in the workplace. At our Chocolates Garoto business in 
Brazil, a programme has been set up to encourage the 
employment of people with disabilities. The initiative is 
supported by the use of adaptive technology and 
communications, translators and the celebration of 
events such as National Day of the Deaf. 
Empowering different generations at the workplace 
At Nestlé, diversity and inclusion measures include 
ensuring integration and equality for people across all 
generations. In 2017, Nestlé France organised a 
Millennials Day, which involved reverse mentoring 
workshops and intergenerational exchanges and debates. 
The day also featured a Millennials Challenge, requiring 
teams of millennials to develop and present proposals on 
how to build the ‘Nestlé of tomorrow’. The teams selected 
as finalists were invited to present their proposals to 
senior management. In the coming months they will 
implement the various initiatives – and in the process, 
a community of millennials will be created.
Building an inclusive workplace
Promoting a culture of diversity and inclusion
As a global, multicultural company, we aim to reflect 
the diversity of the society in which we operate. Our 
ambition is to create a business culture, environment 
and leadership that provide equal opportunities for 
everyone to contribute, grow and feel valued.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
67
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Nestlé Framework for Employee Health
Our passion for nutrition, health and wellness
•	 Communication campaigns 
and events 
•	 Nutrition, health and 
wellness training
All about nutrition, 
health and wellness
FOUNDATIONS
•	 Exercise
•	 Healthy diets 
Balance
•	 Know your numbers
•	 Stress and resilience
Work environment, occupational safety and health
That we CARE for 
each other
LEARN
FEEL
CHOOSE
Workplace safety, health and wellness 
Taking a holistic approach
Enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier 
future begins with safeguarding the safety and health 
of our people. To live up to our purpose internally, we 
want to help our employees make more informed 
decisions about their own health, take personal 
responsibility and choose to live and work in a safe 
and healthy way. We need our employees to be 
passionate about nutrition, health and wellness.
Our commitment: 
Advocate for healthy workplaces 
and healthier employees. 
Nestlé Framework for Employee Health
The framework was introduced to help structure and 
focus efforts, promote proven practices and guide future 
developments to support the health of our employees. 
In 2017, 85% of our markets implemented at least three 
focus areas plus foundations, compared with 73% in the 
previous year.
Know your numbers
The Know Your Numbers Programme (KYNP) is designed 
to allow employees to understand their health risks. It was 
launched in 2017 as a company-wide health programme. 
It will give us a better understanding of our employees’ 
overall health profile, and the impact of health on 
productivity. The programme includes an initial health 
screening (biometrics and health risk assessment). 
This is followed by guidance from a health professional 
to facilitate people’s understanding of their individual 
health profile, leading to targeted health support. 
KYNP allows efficient, data-based channelling of 
investments in health for our employees, based on data, 
and enables better tracking and monitoring of progress. 
With the programme active in 16 countries and 4931 
employees having already participated, we have begun 
to observe some emerging trends on health risks. This 
information, as it builds up through wider adoption of the 
programme, will provide a significant basis for employee 
health strategy and guide us in developing future plans.
By 2020: Offer our employees education, early screening and 
programmes that support healthier lifestyle choices.
 In progress
By 2020: Continue leading through industry forums.
 In progress
Our results:
97% of markets already offer health and wellness programmes to 
employees. To make our programmes more targeted, we are 
assessing the overall health profile of our employees through our 
Know Your Numbers Programme (KYNP). We have also articulated 
the minimum mandatory requirements in this area in the Employee 
Health Management Standard.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
68
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Safety and Health Roadmap
Aligned with the framework, our Safety and Health 
Roadmap sets out our strategic vision for safety and health 
performance until 2018. It focuses on four strategic priorities:
•	 Our passion for nutrition, health and wellness;
•	 Key risks managed;
•	 Everyone engaged; and 
•	 Management processes.
Our passion for nutrition, health and wellness
Focus areas for our strategic priorities in health include 
ergonomics, healthy diets, stress and resilience, and 
fatigue and working time. We are on track for targets set 
out for all of them.
Healthy diets 
Our goal is to make an impact on the diets of our 
employees and their families by offering locally relevant 
education on nutrition and hydration, and by providing 
healthy food and drink options at work. In 2017, 93% of our 
canteens provided a healthy meal option to our employees. 
Stress and resilience 
Our work-related illnesses show mental ill health as one 
of the top three reported work-related illnesses globally. 
Emerging trends as per KYNP also identify stress as a key 
risk among employees. Following the launch of the 
Nestlé Guidance on Stress and Resilience in 2015, we 
are progressively developing our stress and resilience 
programme, including customised training and tools for 
different target groups. The programme includes all 
employees, human resource business partners (HRBPs), 
leaders and senior leaders. Training on stress and resilience 
has been provided to 36% of our HRBPs.
With this, we aim to enable employees to better 
manage work-related pressures and enhance their 
personal resilience. 
Fatigue and working time 
A good work–life balance is necessary for the well-being 
of employees and their families. Supporting this, we 
monitor our employees’ working time, taking account 
of local law and addressing challenges as they arise. 
We have set a working time limit of 60 hours a week 
across our operations. So far, 98% of our markets 
have implemented and are tracking this limit. 
Ergonomics and musculoskeletal diseases 
Ergonomics is especially relevant to our work-related 
illnesses. Musculoskeletal diseases continue to be the 
highest reported work-related illness in our database, 
accounting for 67% of recordable illnesses in 2017. 
Improving the ergonomics of our production lines will 
help us manage this better. 
ErgoPro is how we assess the ergonomic design of both 
work tasks performed and of equipment used in our 
factories. Ergonomic risks are identified and assessed, 
and ergonomics integrated into operating standards. In 
2017, we completed assessments for 81% of our routine 
production tasks with ErgoPro, exceeding both our 2017 
target (60%) and our 2018 target (75%). Going forward, 
the focus will be on communicating solutions, expanding 
assessments for ergonomics in different workplace 
settings, and better management of the most serious 
identified risks.
Other employee health initiatives include:
•	 The Corporate Medical Network, created to better 
leverage in-house expertise and perspectives on 
employee health;
•	 #Healthy lives – following a successful implementation 
of the NQ foundation training, we are now redesigning 
the training, touching upon multiple dimensions of 
health beyond nutrition (including physical activity, 
sleep and mental health). A pilot for refining the 
approach has begun;
•	 The Global Sharing Platform, to share best practices, 
strengthen markets’ connections with the Nestlé 
Framework for Employee Health and establish a 
‘friends helping friends’ solution; 
•	 A corporate Chatter group, enabling health and 
wellness experts to discuss and share topics; and 
•	 Expert-led webinars covering topics such as health 
strategy, KYNP, ergonomics, and stress and resilience; 
10 webinars involving 349 participants were held in 2017.
Our key safety risks 
A key part of our Safety and Health Roadmap is ensuring 
key risks are managed to provide a safe and healthy work 
environment for all our employees.
Vehicles and driving 
Driving incidents remain the leading cause of work-related 
fatalities at Nestlé. Sadly, in 2017 we had two fatalities 
among our employees. In January, one of our medical 
delegates lost her life in a motorcycle accident in India, 
and in August a sales channel specialist was killed in a car 
accident in China. We are very conscious of the impact of 
these losses and all our thoughts are with their families. 
With both accidents related to driving, this topic remains 
a focus area for us.
We aim to reduce the number of vehicle-related injuries by 
implementing safe driving standards across our markets, 
including the standard for management of third-party 
logistics service providers. In 2017, we launched a 
company-wide communication campaign on safe driving 
that focuses on a range of behaviours.
Machinery safety 
Machinery safety is a significant cause of serious injury in 
our factories. We have improved our comprehensive and 
systematic approach to machinery safety, including machine 
guarding and safe methods of intervention. In 2017, we 
developed standard training modules to ensure a uniform 
level of knowledge on these safe methods of intervention.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
69
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Slips, trips and falls 
These are the most common cause of recordable injury 
in Nestlé, accounting for 24% of all injuries. By using the 
Slips, Trips and Falls guideline and toolkit, we aim to 
ensure the management of this risk is integrated into 
other safety and health programmes. A slips, trips and 
falls hazard communication mobile application was 
developed in 2017.
Process safety 
We recognise the safety hazards that are related to our 
manufacturing processes. These hazards are managed 
by safe design, safe operations and safe maintenance. 
We are regularly reviewing and improving our processes 
in order to eliminate or reduce these process safety 
hazards and risks. 
Recordable injury rate (per million hours worked)
2017	
  1.97
2016	
  2.2
2015	
  2.57
Sadly, in 2017 we had two fatalities among our employees. 
Both cases were driving incidents (see page 69).
	 Further details can be found in our GRI Index
Everyone engaged
We want to ensure that everyone in Nestlé, from the 
Management Board to individual employees, is engaged 
with safety and health. Our ambition is to establish safety 
and health as a shared personal value for everyone by 
winning hearts and minds. 
Communication and training
Effective communication and training is essential for 
engaging employees and creating a learning organisation. 
In 2017, 94% of our sites organised at least one safety and 
health awareness event. 
Safety and health in field sales and offices
To support the safety and health of all our employees, 
we are implementing the Nestlé Safety and Health 
Management System beyond manufacturing sites into 
all field sales activities and all offices. We aim for the 
system to cover 100% of our employees by 2018. In 2017, 
91% of eligible staff were covered. 
Values-based behaviours
Excellence in safety and health requires everyone to be 
involved. We’re achieving this by focusing on behaviour 
and improving the quality of management and peer-to-peer 
feedback. In 2017, we pursued our journey to achieve a 
basic level of compliance with our internal ‘caring through 
feedback’ standard, and reached 88% compliance.
Management processes
Our Safety and Health Roadmap recognises the 
importance of continuously improving the way we 
manage and engage our employees on identified safety 
risks. To do this, we constantly enhance our standards 
and procedures to ensure that our processes are managed 
in a safe way.
Contractor management 
While construction activities are important for our growth, 
they also present an increased risk of fatality and serious 
injury, and incidents in engineering projects often cause 
significant interruption to business. We operate a Group 
standard on contractor management. This outlines our 
expectations for each site to implement a process for 
selecting contractors, planning work activities and 
ensuring safe execution. The standard is supported by a 
tool for categorising contracts and determining the level 
of oversight required to reduce the risk of incidents. 
Project management on all capital projects has been 
improved to ensure a greater focus on safety and health. 
We have also enhanced our safety and health training for 
project managers and engineers. 
Managing high-hazard tasks 
High-hazard tasks present an increased risk of fatality and 
serious injuries, and industrial incidents often cause 
significant asset damage and business interruption. We 
continue to focus on management of high-hazard tasks 
through a permit-to-work (PTW) process to ensure that 
such tasks are carried out safely. PTW is a process of 
approaching certain tasks (such as working at height, hot 
work, demolition, hazardous line breaking and equipment) 
with structured steps. 
In 2017, we maintained a strong compliance assurance 
process, which resulted in an overall compliance score 
of 82%. This process will continue to drive the 
improvement of the programme and compliance levels. 
Assessing risks 
Risk assessment is the primary safety and health 
management process by which we identify hazards and 
determine how to protect people. Risk assessment is an 
integral part of the Occupational Health and Safety 
Assessment Series (OHSAS) certification process and 
is in place for certified sites.
In 2017, we provided a revised version of the guidelines on 
safety and health risk management, as well as a new 
toolkit with several assessment tools. These documents 
provide a method to ensure that harm is prevented using 
the most effective and efficient risk controls available.
OHSAS: 18001 
BS OHSAS 18001 is a framework for an 
occupational health and safety management 
system. It sets out the minimum requirements for 
best practices.
Facilities certified against OHSAS 18001:2007
Type of facility
Number 
certified
Factories
431
Distribution centres
147
R&D centres
30
Head and regional offices
229
Field sales forces
246
Other
28
Total
1111
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
70
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Offering an inspiring work environment
Our purpose is enhancing quality of life and contributing 
to a healthier future. We are committed to improving 
people’s lives, everywhere, every day. Our inclusive 
environment leverages the diverse skills, cultures, ways 
of thinking, knowledge and experience of our people, 
fuelling our innovation. 
Four key attributes define our employment experience:
•	 Enhancing lives;
•	 A fulfilling work environment;
•	 People inspired; and
•	 Personal and professional growth.
Nestlé and I engagement survey
Three key areas for improvement were identified in our 
biennial employee survey in 2016, and actioned in 2017:
•	 Senior management agreed to provide more business 
updates to employees, with more clarity on strategy; 
•	 We implemented a revised People Development 
Performance Process to encourage more active 
development discussions between line managers 
and employees; and
•	 We began reviewing and re-engineering back-office 
processes to reduce organisational complexity and 
increase our speed and agility. 
Action plans have been developed at market and function 
levels in response to identified priority areas. Our 
consumer feedback tool, PULSE, has been made available 
to markets to track the impact of the action plans on key 
items and to measure employees’ opinions more regularly. 
An online Nestlé & I Academy has also been created to 
support managers in analysing and following up on their 
teams’ results.
Living Wage
We want all our employees on the lowest levels of salaries 
and benefits to receive a living wage, covering their needs 
according to local standards of living. Between 2014 and 
2016, we therefore worked with Business for Social 
Responsibility (BSR) to assess pay rates globally. While 
relatively few gaps were identified, by April 2017 these 
were addressed, with the only exceptions being certain 
joint ventures and those countries where reliable 
measurement was not possible due to local civil conflicts 
or extreme economic conditions (such as hyperinflation). 
This is a major achievement that few other companies 
have managed. Follow up checks will continue to ensure 
Nestlé remains a Living Wage employer globally.
	 Read more about our work on the living wage
“This is a major achievement that 
few other companies have managed. 
Through strong collaboration we have 
converted this commitment into 
reality. Consumers want to know that 
companies they buy from are fair 
employers and we are pleased to be 
able to confirm that we are a Living 
Wage employer globally.” 
Peter Vogt, Chief Human Resources Officer, Nestlé
Engaging with labour stakeholders 
We believe in the importance of positive relations with 
trade unions, and respect our employees’ right to engage 
in union activities. Disputes sometimes arise but, through 
our policies, principles and values, we aim to ensure they 
are settled openly and transparently. 
In 2017, 64 labour disputes took place globally, compared 
with 42 in 2016. The average percentage of working time 
lost due to labour disputes, strikes and/or lock-outs 
decreased slightly to 0.0219%. 
	 Further details can be found in our GRI Index
As we seek ways to improve our labour practices, we 
continue to engage internationally with the International 
Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, 
Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations (IUF), business 
organisations and UN-led bodies, regionally with the 
Nestlé European Council for Information and Consultation 
and locally with unions and federations, external experts 
and other companies. 
Performance and development
At Nestlé we have a strong performance culture grounded 
in a deep belief that supporting and developing our people 
is what helps us create the leaders of the future. 
Performance and development can be supported through 
360-degree feedback on how individuals and the people 
with whom they work perceive their skills and behaviours. 
In 2017, we implemented a new, integrated 360-degree 
feedback solution accessible to all employees. We also 
introduced a new People Development Performance tool, 
combining performance and development. This approach 
ensures an ongoing performance management process, 
creates alignment, and provides clarity and focus on 
business objectives. It facilitates honest, transparent 
coaching, feedback and recognition, and supports 
employees’ development, motivation and engagement. 
Engaging with and developing our people
Ensuring a fulfilled workforce
Our people are at the heart of our business – 
everything we do, and our success, is dependent on 
them. Ensuring our employees are engaged, fairly 
remunerated, and have the skills and knowledge not 
just to perform in their roles but to grow, develop and 
feel fulfilled is essential for us to prosper as a company. 
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
71
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Building our capabilities 
Our learning and development strategy 
We ensure learning goes hand in hand with career 
development through a 70–20–10 approach (in which 
70% of development is on the job, 20% is via feedback 
and 10% is through courses and reading). In 2017, we 
further developed our strategy to address the evolving 
learning landscape. These changes were geared towards: 
•	 Equipping our people to face bigger, more complex 
leadership challenges linked to their career development; 
•	 Accelerating the development and onboarding of our 
senior executive leaders; 
•	 Maintaining and enhancing our Category know-how 
as a key competitive advantage; 
•	 Connecting our leaders more closely with the external 
world to enhance our innovation culture and 
entrepreneurial spirit; and 
•	 Meeting the social learning needs of the new generation 
of learners and maximising knowledge sharing. 
Supporting our line managers 
Developing our business leaders’ capabilities is essential 
to our success. We support our line managers by providing 
a number of tools and training programmes. In 2017, our 
Leading the Nestlé Way Programme was attended by 
201 participants, while 281 employees took part in the 
Nestlé Leadership Programme. 
Coaching and mentoring 
We continue to develop our Common Framework and 
Toolkit for coaching, which provides self-development 
opportunities for individuals. A coaching network, currently 
active in 21 markets, enables each of our participating 
markets to have a representative to coordinate activities. 
Many of our markets also continued operating local 
mentoring schemes in 2017, pairing employees with 
leaders and senior leaders for up to 18 months.
Responding to international dual-career relationships 
As a global employer, we offer many opportunities for 
people to work abroad. Along with other multinationals, 
we are members of an independent, non-profit 
association, the International Dual Career Network, that 
helps dual-career spouses with their local job search and 
professional integration in a new country. Currently, 
we lead 4 out of 15 networks, which means our local 
operating companies manage the network in their 
respective countries.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
72
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Protecting stakeholders against violations
We continue to extend grievance mechanisms to the 
whole of our supply chain. We have two systems in place 
to ensure our stakeholders have access to report breaches 
of our codes of conduct.
Nestlé Integrity Reporting System 
The Nestlé Integrity Reporting System (IRS) offers 
anonymous phone and online channels for employees to 
report anonymously any non-compliant or illegal 
behaviour. The system also provides compliance advice 
and information on our practices. Some 53 markets 
reinforced IRS communication to employees in 2017, and 
corporate best practices for managing, reviewing and 
investigating compliance complaints were reinforced with 
our markets. Our next step is to strengthen our compliance 
communication to employees, focusing on how and what 
to report, and to improve investigation quality.
In 2017, we received 1725 messages through the system, 
covering issues such as leadership style, labour practices, 
discrimination and harassment as well as over 570 seeking 
compliance advice questions. Of all the cases presented, 
1506 (87%) were closed and 482 (32%) were substantiated, 
resulting in 151 employees leaving the company. There 
were 105 written warnings, 21 service providers were 
terminated and other measures were taken, including 
internal process improvement and reinforcement.
‘Tell us’ 
‘Tell us’ is our communication channel for external 
stakeholders to report possible compliance and 
non-compliance issues against our Corporate Business 
Principles, applicable laws and all issues relating to our 
business operations, such as community and environmental 
impacts. ‘Tell us’ was made available to an additional 2900 
suppliers in 2017, and we included an explanation of ‘Tell us’ 
in the WHO Code of Compliance training provided annually 
to Nestlé Nutrition distributors in higher-risk countries. 
In 2017, we completed the process of deploying ‘Tell us’ 
across our markets, with the final 24 markets making the 
system available on their corporate websites. We also 
developed guidelines, dos and don’ts, and a flowchart and 
guidance for conducting compliance investigations. 
These have been shared globally within the Legal function 
and with other key internal stakeholders. 
During the year, we received 613 messages via 
‘Tell us’, these being mainly compliance-related 
complaints and non-compliance-related issues, such 
as consumer-related matters or general complaints. 
All comments received have been, or are being, 
addressed, and are detailed as follows. In total, 32 issues 
were confirmed: 6 labour practices, 5 fraud cases, 
5 leadership issues, 2 conflicts of interest, 1 environmental 
suggestion, 1 harassment case, 1 private-to-private 
bribery, 1 safety and quality issue, 1 supplier concern and 
9 other general concerns. As a result, 14 warning letters 
were issued, there was 1 dismissal, a total of 15 people left 
the company and 2 suppliers services were terminated, 
while various internal control measures were reinforced.
“It is our commitment as employees 
to take responsibility for ensuring 
that we all act with integrity, avoiding 
any conduct that could damage or 
risk Nestlé or its reputation.” 
Enrique Rueda, Group Head of Compliance and Security, Nestlé
	 Read more about the types of issues raised 
through ‘Tell us’
Reporting compliance violations
Providing effective grievance mechanisms throughout 
our operations
Violations of our Code of Business Conduct and of our 
corporate policies cannot be tolerated. It is essential that 
any such breaches are reported, wherever they occur 
across our entire value chain, so that non-compliant 
activity can be eradicated or prevented. Employees and 
other stakeholders must also have access to remediation 
in relation to any abuses of labour and human rights.
Our commitment: 
Provide effective grievance mechanisms 
to employees and stakeholders.
By 2017: ‘Tell us’ communicated on all Nestlé market websites 
where legally possible. Markets implementing corporate best 
practices for managing, reviewing and investigating compliance 
complaints received through grievance systems.
 Achieved
Our results:
100% of Nestlé market corporate websites on which ‘Tell us’ 
communicated.
By 2018: Markets conducting root-cause analyses for selected 
compliance cases using tools provided by headquarters.
 In progress
Our results:
Root-cause analyses will be developed and shared with the markets 
in 2018.
By 2019: Review grievance systems’ effectiveness with internal and 
external stakeholders to define improvement opportunities.
 In progress
Our results:
Review process in development.
By 2020: Grievance systems improvements implemented in 
pilot markets.
 In progress
Our results:
Improvements will be implemented when review process 
is complete.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
73
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

For the planet
We have set clear commitments and objectives to 
use sustainably managed and renewable resources, 
operate more efficiently, generate less waste for disposal, 
improve water management and help preserve our 
forests, oceans and biodiversity.
Our 2030 ambition is to strive for zero environmental 
impact in our operations. 
Supporting the Sustainable Development Goals
Investor benefits
We generate additional revenue by providing consumers with more sustainable foods and beverages, and bring savings through 
improved operational efficiency, better resource management and less waste. Investing in climate change adaptation and 
mitigation, as well as responsible water stewardship, helps secure a more sustainable supply of resources for our business – 
thereby strengthening our business resilience – while improving our resource efficiency reduces costs.
Caring for water 
because water is essential 
throughout our value chain.
2017 highlights
Reduced water withdrawal by 38.1% 
per tonne of product since 2007.
Saved 5.4 million m3 of water through 
water-saving projects.
Completed Water Resource Reviews 
at 12 sites.
722 379 people around the world 
benefited from our WASH programmes 
to date.
Nestlé Waters announced that it will 
strengthen its collaboration with the 
Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) to 
certify 20 factories by 2020.
Acting on climate change
because it is exacerbating the 
environmental challenges we 
face, such as water scarcity, 
natural resource constraint and 
declining biodiversity.
2017 highlights
Reduced our GHG emissions (Scope 
1 and 2) by 33.2% per tonne of product 
since 2007.
25.7% of our electricity now comes from 
renewable sources.
 
Support Feed the Future’s Climate 
Smart Cocoa project, helping growers in 
Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire adopt agricultural 
practices that combat climate change.
Achieved zero environmental impact 
on water, waste for disposal and net GHG 
emissions at our Nescafé Dolce Gusto 
factory in Montes Claros, Brazil.
Safeguarding the environment 
because we can use resources 
more efficiently, reduce food 
waste and loss, and help 
consumers play their part.
2017 highlights
253 factories achieved zero waste 
for disposal.
22 558 tonnes of packaging avoided.
 
By the end of 2017 we assessed and 
addressed the sustainability hotspots 
for 22 product categories.
Nestlé Waters joined the NaturALL 
Bottle Alliance in striving to create a fully 
recyclable plastic bottle made from 100% 
bio-based material.
	 Read more about how we are helping the planet
	 From page 91
	 From page 87
	 From page 79
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
74
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Improving our environmental 
performance: our focus on water 
At Nestlé, we act on climate change by 
further reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) 
emissions along our value chain, in line 
with science-based targets. Reducing 
waste is a priority: we reuse and recycle 
wherever possible. We strengthen our 
supply chain by helping the farmers we 
work with to adopt sustainable practices. 
Water, identified as a CSV focus area, is 
also at the heart of our actions and we 
continue to reduce withdrawals of water 
per tonne of product and help increase 
access to safe water and sanitation.
Indeed, water is one of the areas, next to nutrition and 
rural development, with greatest intersection between 
Nestlé’s business and society.
At Nestlé, we care for water and focus our efforts and 
resources in four key areas where it matters: in our 
factories, continuously improving water use 
efficiency; in watersheds, working with partners to 
protect shared water resources; across our 
agricultural supply chain, where water challenges 
are putting the sourcing of our raw materials at risk; 
and in the communities where we are present, to 
widen access to clean water and sanitation. 
We continue to invest in our factories to comply with 
local regulation and where it is imperative to decrease 
our water dependency. But to achieve sustainable water 
resources management, we also seek collaborative 
efforts outside our factory gates. This method has 
demonstrated a greater return on investment, for the 
resilience of our business and for the benefit of local 
stakeholders living in the catchments where we operate.
Our approach involves a three-step ladder (see below): 
compliance, excellence in water resources management 
and collective action. It is based on the Alliance for Water 
Stewardship (AWS), a multi-stakeholder platform of 
which we are a founding member and contributor. The 
AWS Standard, the leading global standard for good 
water stewardship performance certification, ensures 
water use is socially equitable, environmentally 
sustainable and economically beneficial. It promotes 
best practice in water stewardship, guides us in 
assessing risks and needs, and helps us focus our efforts 
where it matters most.
We have already achieved a great deal but we are 
ready to do even more across all our operations. Nestlé 
Waters has committed to certifying 20 factories to the 
AWS Standard by 2020, with four factories already 
certified: one in Pakistan and three in California. In the 
Americas, water stewardship assessments have 
begun in all of our factories. And in Europe, Africa and 
Asia, our best practice water stewardship projects are 
reference points for further action in markets faced by 
water challenges.
Our commitment to the AWS and our teamwork are 
important catalysts to securing more sustainable 
access to water, replicating water efficiency 
innovations and engaging other water users in 
collective action to sustainably manage our shared 
water resources.
If we are to continue to grow sustainably, we must 
ensure we use the planet’s resources wisely. We want 
our products to not only be tastier and healthier but 
also better for the environment. Our 2030 ambition is to 
strive for zero environmental impact in our operations.
	 Read more about our efforts in caring for water
Engage with local stakeholders to address 
shared water challenges at catchment level
•	
Positive community relations
•	
Leading water use efficiency
•	
Knowledge of risks, impact and opportunity areas 
•	
Legal and regulatory requirements
•	
Internal standards 
SUSTAINABILITY
Collective Action
Excellence in 
Water Resource 
Management
Compliance
Catchment
level
Local level
Stewardship level
Sphere of influence
Transparency
Improvement
Engagement
Water Stewardship Ladder
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
75
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Through a number of 
partnerships and alliances,  
we work to educate individuals 
and families about food loss  
and waste, offering on-pack 
guidance and developing 
creative solutions for using  
up leftovers. 
Back in 2016, our then CEO Paul Bulcke 
underlined Nestlé’s commitment to reducing 
food loss and waste by joining Champions 
12.3, a coalition of business executives 
working towards achieving Sustainable 
Development Goal (SDG) target 12.3. Since 
then, we have participated in a business case 
work group, which launched The Business 
Case for Reducing Food Loss and Waste, and 
we have contributed to the 2017 progress 
report Road Map to Achieving SDG Target 12.3. 
Through the Consumer Goods Forum 
(CGF), we will join other retailers and food 
producers in simplifying and standardising 
food date labels by 2020. We will be 
required to display one label at a time: either 
an expiry date for perishable items or a food 
quality indicator for shelf-stable products.
The exact wording will be tailored to the 
regional context but it will require clear 
definitions. Most importantly, it must be 
understood that ‘best before’ describes the 
period when the food or beverage is at its 
best in terms of quality, while ‘use by’ 
describes when it is safe to consume. We 
will also provide further information through 
in-store displays, online materials and public 
service announcements.
In September 2017, during the UN Global 
Compact leaders summit in New York, a 
Nestlé team presented bagzielicious. This 
app supports efforts to tackle SDG 12.3 by 
helping consumers manage their food stock 
and leftovers at home, as well as proposing 
meal planning and e-shopping services. 
This was the conclusion of a year-long 
training and ideation programme, The 
Breakthrough Innovation Challenge, 
managed by the UN Global Compact. 
SDG target 12.3  
calls for halving per capita global 
food waste at the retail and 
consumer level, and reducing food 
losses in production and supply 
chains (including post-harvest 
losses) by 2030.
	 Read more about our commitments for 
the planet from page 79 onwards
Engaging on food loss 
and waste
We are exploring new ways to 
help individuals and families 
reduce food loss and waste.
76
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Towards 100% 
renewable electricity
Our actions on climate change 
involve driving the move towards 
renewable electricity. 
The world’s leading companies 
are turning to renewable 
electricity and Nestlé is one  
of them. This helps deliver our  
goal to reduce greenhouse gas 
(GHG) emissions. 
We recognise the risks that climate change 
poses to our business, and see renewable 
energy as part of the solution. Procuring 100% 
of our electricity from renewable sources, 
within the shortest practical timescale, will 
help us achieve our science-based objective 
of reducing our GHG emissions.
Currently, around 25.7% of our electricity 
comes from solar, wind and hydropower, and 
141 Nestlé factories use renewable electricity. 
More than 689 447 tonnes of CO2eq, the 
equivalent of taking 147 633 cars off the road 
annually, has been saved through purchasing 
renewable electricity in 2017. 
We are an active member of RE100,  
a global collaboration of influential 
businesses committed to using 100% 
renewable electricity. Launched in 2014 by 
The Climate Group and CDP, its members 
promote the business case for renewables, 
showcase best practice and work to address 
barriers to uptake. 
We joined other business leaders and 
policy-makers at an RE100 conference in 
Brussels in February 2017. Exploring how to 
help leading companies deliver on their 
renewable power ambitions, we focused on 
the leadership role of business, stating that 
RE100 “sends a strong signal to the political 
world that the private sector is ready to buy”.
•	In Brazil, we will avoid the 
emission of around 50 000 tonnes 
of CO2eq a year by using 100% 
renewable electricity;
•	Nestlé UK & Ireland purchases 
all its grid-supplied electricity 
from renewable sources; 
•	Nespresso’s three factories in 
Switzerland purchased all their 
grid-supplied electricity from 
renewable sources in 2017; and
•	We have also reached 100% 
renewable electricity in 
Germany, Hungary, Czech 
Republic, Poland, Austria  
and Italy.
	 Read more about our commitments for 
the planet from page 79 onwards
77
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Moving forward in our 
own operations
Our 2030 ambition is to strive 
towards zero environmental 
impact in our operations. 
We have set ourselves the 
challenging ambition of striving 
for zero environmental impact  
in our operations by 2030. 
‘Striving for zero’ has its 
challenges, from the availability of 
renewable energy to the cost of 
new technology. But we are 
determined to work towards it, 
when and where we can make 
the most difference, such as in 
areas of water scarcity. 
We remain on track to meet our 2020 
commitments to cut GHG emissions and 
water withdrawals per tonne of product in 
our operations. We are achieving this by 
switching to renewable energy, replicating 
water-saving projects across the company, 
and recycling and recovering materials. We 
are also committed to achieve zero waste for 
disposal in our sites and zero deforestation 
in our supply chain.
Zero waste for disposal is not new to us:  
253 Nestlé factories have achieved it to date 
and 141 Nestlé factories used renewable 
energy in 2017. 
The idea of having a zero negative impact on 
water is more challenging. Nonetheless, we 
look to identify ways to compensate for 
negative impacts that may derive from our 
water use, through initiatives designed to make 
a positive contribution to the sustainability of 
locally shared water resources. For example, 
we have developed zero water withdrawal 
technology that extracts water from milk 
processing operations instead of drawing on 
fresh supplies. 
Other examples of maximising the positive 
environmental and social benefits of our 
activities include: better water quality  
from wastewater treatment; improved 
health due to greater access to clean  
water and sanitation; lower food loss  
and waste; and the protection of species  
and habitats thanks to our efforts to 
eliminate deforestation.
Zoégas coffee factory, 
Helsingborg, Sweden 
•	Fuelled by biogas made from 
energy crops and wood chips
•	All electricity from wind, solar 
and hydropower
•	Zero waste for disposal 
•	Coffee residues used locally  
as fuel for heating
Nescafé Dolce Gusto factory, 
Montes Claros, Brazil 
•	Zero water withdrawals, zero 
waste to disposal and zero net 
GHG emissions
•	Reusing water saves 66 000 m3 
per year
•	All materials recycled, reused  
or composted 
•	97% of energy from renewables 
•	Remaining GHG emissions offset  
through projects financed 
through buying carbon credits
	 Read more about our commitments for 
the planet from page 79 onwards
78
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Water is the source of life on earth and a 
basic human right. It is also critical to our 
business. At Nestlé, we care for water 
and together with other stakeholders, we 
steward resources for future generations.
Why caring for water matters
A shared resource
As individuals, we need water to live. Communities need 
access to water to survive and thrive. Water is also 
essential for our business: the ingredients we source need 
water to grow, and we need it to run our factories and 
manufacture our products. As well as this, our consumers 
need safe, clean water to prepare many of our products. 
But today, the world faces a water management crisis. 
The UN estimates that global demand for water exceeds 
supply by 20% and, by 2030, this figure will rise to 40%. 
Water resources are unevenly distributed across the 
planet. Yet the world’s growing population requires 
more food, and more than 70% of the world’s available 
freshwater supplies are used for food production (Food 
and Agriculture Organization). It is estimated that our 
agricultural supply chain uses around 64 billion m3 of 
water per year to grow the raw materials we purchase – 
more than 400 times the amount used in our factories.
While water is a key resource for our business and our 
suppliers, it is also one we share with others. That is why 
we continue to work alongside other stakeholders to 
protect the sources we all rely on. Exemplifying this, 
Nestlé Waters is going beyond just being an efficient 
water user, by putting collaboration and partnerships at 
the heart of water resource preservation. We 
acknowledge discussions about our water bottling 
operations and, as part of our water stewardship and 
community relations programmes, work to share relevant 
data and information with local stakeholders. This fosters 
collective action that contributes to the long-term 
sustainability of shared water resources. 
Health, hygiene and sanitation 
Everyone has the right to clean drinking water, sanitation 
and hygiene (WASH), yet access to WASH services remains 
a significant challenge in many countries. Around one 
person in every three (2.4 billion) lacks access to improved 
sanitation, and more than 800 children die from preventable 
water- and hygiene-related diseases every day (UNICEF). 
Our ongoing efforts to improve water treatment and 
WASH services, through community and school projects 
as well as education and awareness-raising programmes, 
help improve the health and well-being of people living 
near our operations. 
	 Read more about our water actions
External recognition 
•	Received the maximum score of 100/100 in the 
Water section of the 2017 Dow Jones 
Sustainability Index.
•	Topped the packaged food category of Ceres’ 
2017 Feeding Ourselves Thirsty analysis, 
which compares the water risk management 
performance of 42 global companies.
Our work on caring for water contributes to the 
following SDGs:
Caring 
for water
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
79
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Reducing water withdrawals
In 2017, we directly withdrew 131 million m3 of water. 
This total includes purchases from municipal suppliers 
(45.1 million m3) as well as surface (12.0 million m3), 
ground (74.3 million m3) and rainwater (0.051 million m3). 
Our Water Resource Reviews (WRRs) raise awareness 
about sustainable water use at an operational level, 
identify risks and opportunities, and devise improvement 
plans. With 12 new WRRs conducted in 2017 and with 
our Water Target Setting methodology helping identify 
further opportunities, we have continued to reduce water 
withdrawal per tonne of product across our product 
categories (see right-hand column).
In 2017, we implemented 578 water-saving projects in 
our factories. These are expected to save around 
5.4 million m3 of water a year through operational 
efficiency and technology for reusing water.
Water withdrawn at our factories by product category 
Total direct water use (million m3)
2016
2017
Water withdrawal
138
131
Water discharge
78
74
Water recycled or reused
6.9
8.1
Water withdrawals at our factories by product category 
Water withdrawn (m3 per tonne)
2010
2017
Reduction 
(%)
Powdered and liquid beverages
13.9
6.6
53
Water
1.7
1.5
9
Milk products and ice cream
5.5
3.7
32
Nutrition and healthcare
13.6
9.4
30
Prepared dishes and cooking aids
5.5
3.8
31
Confectionery
7.2
3.3
55
PetCare
1.2
1.0
13
Overall withdrawal rate
3.31
2.36
28.7
Zero water facilities 
Our award-winning zero water withdrawal technology 
enables us to use water extracted from milk processing 
rather than withdraw fresh sources for our operations. 
It was first introduced in our powdered milk plant in 
Jalisco, Mexico, in 2014. 
Since then, zero water technology has been implemented in 
five other factories, including our Modesto plant in California, 
where it will save a potential 286 million litres a year from 
2018. Twelve factories have partial implementation of zero 
water technology. Facilities in South Africa, India, Pakistan 
and China are also incorporating this technology.
	 Read more about how we’re striving for zero 
Focusing on high-priority locations 
We have identified 18 high-priority manufacturing 
facilities (HPMFs) that are either located in areas 
of water stress or that represent a significant 
percentage of our operational withdrawals. During 
2017, we implemented water-saving projects at 
13 HPMFs, saving nearly 1.1 million m3 of water. 
Improving water efficiency 
Reducing withdrawal per tonne of product and reusing 
more water in our operations
Water is key to our business. We use it to process our 
foods and beverages, and for cooling and cleaning 
equipment. The ingredients we source need water to 
grow. And individuals and families need it to consume 
many of our products. We must therefore use water as 
efficiently as possible.
Around a third of our factories are located in water-
stressed areas. While we have made real progress 
in recent years, we are willing to drive further 
improvements. 
Our commitment: 
Work to achieve water efficiency and 
sustainability across our operations.
By 2020: Reduce direct water withdrawals per tonne of product 
in every product category to achieve an overall reduction of 35% 
since 2010.
 In progress
Our results:
Reduced water withdrawals by 28.7% per tonne of product 
since 2010.
By 2020: Carry out 40 new Water Resource Reviews (WRRs) in 
selected manufacturing facilities and all greenfield sites.
 In progress
Our results:
WRRs completed at 164 sites to date.
By 2020: Implement 10 new water stewardship initiatives in selected 
locations, with specific focus on high-priority manufacturing facilities. 
 In progress
Our results:
Implemented water stewardship initiatives in 10 locations.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
80
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Partnering to protect water resources
As our business matures, making incremental reductions 
in operational water withdrawal is increasingly difficult 
and costly to achieve. We are therefore doing more at a 
catchment level, helping neighbours to use water more 
efficiently. This helps save more water and brings a 
greater return on investment. 
Our key water partnerships and initiatives are outlined below.
•	 We worked with the World Resources Institute (WRI) 
to develop a methodology that helps companies 
quantify the sustainable cost of water in any watershed. 
This methodology is currently under a peer-review 
process managed by WRI. We have also initiated 
another workstream with WRI during 2017 aimed at 
developing a water stewardship benefit accounting 
methodology. The preliminary report was presented at 
the Alliance for Water Stewardship International Forum 
in Edinburgh in October 2017.
•	 We co-chair the 2030 Water Resources Group (2030 
WRG), a collaboration between public, private and civil 
groups seeking to reform water resources in water-
stressed economies.
•	 We are a founding signatory of the UN Global 
Compact (UNGC) CEO Water Mandate, endorsed 
by more than 140 companies looking to develop, 
implement and disclose their water sustainability 
policies and practices. We publish an annual 
Communication on Progress, sit on the Mandate’s 
steering committee and attended its 2017 conference 
in Stockholm, Sweden.
•	 The Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) 
International Water Stewardship Standard provides a 
framework for companies to evaluate their water 
stewardship practices against a range of environmental, 
social and economic criteria. Having applied the 
principles at a number of high-priority locations, four of 
our factories – one in Pakistan and three in California – 
have now been certified by the AWS Standard. Three 
further sites have been audited this year and in October 
2017, Nestlé Waters announced that 20 factories will be 
certified against the AWS Standard by 2020.
•	 The Joint Water Risk Assessment and Mitigation 
project, run by the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative 
Platform (SAI Platform) and the Sustainable Food 
Lab (SFL), enables companies to share strategies for 
assessing and mitigating food risks. We support the 
project by mapping sourcing information from member 
companies and additional experts. 
Advocate for effective water policies and 
stewardship 
Working with others for positive impact
We believe that proactive, long-term engagement and 
partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders can 
help to define, implement and evaluate solutions to 
the complex environmental challenges that we face.
Droughts in water-stressed areas and the long-term 
sustainability of water resources are just two of the many 
complex challenges our planet faces.
Our commitment: 
Advocate for effective water policies 
and stewardship.
By 2017: Support the World Resources Institute (WRI) in the 
development of an open-source valuation methodology to determine 
the ‘sustainable cost of water’.
 Achieved
Our results:
Methodology to determine the ‘sustainable cost of water’ presented 
at Stockholm World Water Week in 2016 and piloted in 2017.
By 2020: Continue to build the 2030 Water Resources Group public–
private partnership by adding one more country per year.
 In progress
Our results:
11 countries added to the 2030 Water Resources Group since 2009.
By 2020: Actively support the development of CEO Water Mandate 
local networks in at least three Nestlé markets. 
 Achieved
Our results:
Supported CEO Water Mandate networks in three markets.
By 2020: Continue supporting the AWS Standard by implementing 
it in five new locations. 
 In progress
Our results:
Four factories certified against the AWS Standard.
By 2020: Apply the new Farm and Catchment-Level Assessment 
tool prepared by the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform 
(SAI Platform) in at least five agricultural supply sourcing locations. 
 In progress
Our results:
New SAI Platform assessment tool used in three locations.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
81
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Collective action with Nestlé Waters
•	 In California, Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) 
co-founded the California Water Action Collaborative 
(CWAC), enabling stakeholders to join forces to 
improve water security across the state. We are 
involved in two projects to determine how large-
scale restoration can improve water supplies, and 
exploring how the private sector can support the 
measurement, management and stewardship 
required for the projects’ success. 
•	 In southern Maine, where we produce Poland Spring, 
NWNA is working with the University of New England 
to protect a 1500-square-mile watershed. As part of 
the Saco River Watershed Collaborative, we are 
coordinating local stakeholders to better monitor and 
protect the river and its watershed. 
•	 In Lebanon, Nestlé Waters collaborated with the 
Shouf Biosphere Reserve on a two-year monitoring 
study in the Shouf Mountains, where our operations 
are located. The research highlighted the good health 
of the watershed but recommended all stakeholders 
engage in joint action to ensure the sustainable 
supply of water during dry seasons. 
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
82
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Having strengthened our Nestlé Environmental 
Requirements (NER) for water quality last year, we 
have now rolled out a new digital NER compliance 
assessment and monitoring tool to ensure all our plants 
meet these exacting standards. We have also improved 
training on water effluents through our Environmental 
Sustainability workshops.
Water treatment in action
Our Bear Brand and Coffee-mate factory at Tanauan in 
the Philippines invested in a new anaerobic digestion 
technology that requires far less chemicals and 
energy to run and produces a fraction of the sludge it 
was generating before. Furthermore, this new 
technology converts the solids and fats into biogas. 
This biogas is then recovered and used in the factory 
boiler house to produce steam. This innovative 
solution, which also saves CHF 40 000 a year, avoids 
500 tonnes of direct CO2 emissions.
Ensuring water quality
Effluent water generated from our operating sites and 
factories is managed in on-site treatment plants or 
diverted to a local municipal facility. 
In 2017, we continued to invest in maintenance and 
improved treatment facilities. Through such actions, the 
average water quality we discharged in 2017 was 83.8 mg 
COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) per litre. We have also 
reduced the amount of water discharged per tonne of 
product by 13.3% since last year.
Treating water effectively 
Applying efficient technologies and good practice
Any water discharged into rivers and waterways must 
be treated effectively to ensure the water returned to 
the environment is of a high quality. We apply the most 
efficient technologies to treat the water we use, prior 
to reuse or release into the environment.
Our commitment: 
Treat the water we discharge effectively.
By 2017: Monitor the implementation of the new and strengthened 
Nestlé Environmental Requirements (NER) for water quality and 
effluent discharge in all factories, to help protect the environment.
 Achieved
Our results:
Deployed the new digital NER compliance assessment and 
monitoring tool globally.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
83
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Implementing water management action plans
Through the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative at 
Nestlé (SAIN), we address water issues and promote 
remediation measures. Our regional workshops train 
farmers on key water management challenges, including 
drought and flooding resilience, wastewater and 
organic waste treatment, and sustainable agricultural 
intensification methods. 
We are currently implementing water management action 
plans for coffee, sugar, dairy, rice and cereals in water-
stressed areas. The farms, plantations and mills in these 
supply chains need to comply with the terms of our 
Responsible Sourcing Guideline (RSG), and take action to 
mitigate their impact on local water sources.
Through one collaboration, Manos al Agua, we are 
empowering Colombian coffee farmers to manage water 
and address the risks to coffee production associated with 
climate change. Focused on the social, environmental and 
economic benefits of intelligent water management, the 
five-year project includes stakeholders like the Colombian 
government, the national coffee growers’ federation (FNC) 
and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency, along with 
Nespresso and Nescafé. In partnership with experts from 
the national coffee research centre (Cenicafé) and the 
University of Wageningen in the Netherlands, the 
programme directly benefits 11 000 Colombian coffee-
growing families and around 500 000 people who rely on 
local watersheds.
Its achievements in 2017 included:
•	 2000 farms with water-saving solutions, 1500 with 
wastewater solutions and 1050 with reforestation 
initiatives in place;
•	 25 bioengineering projects to restore landslide 
movements; and
•	 Improving water quality in 80% of Manos al 
Agua catchments. 
Purina and the Wabash River
The Nature Conservancy has worked for decades to 
protect water quality in Indiana’s Wabash River, a 
critical tributary of the Mississippi River Basin and a 
resource for drinking water, agriculture, industry and 
wildlife. Supported by Nestlé Purina PetCare, the 
Conservancy is expanding its work to achieve a 
healthy source of clean water in an area where local 
farmers supply us with corn, soya, wheat and rice. 
Purina’s funding is helping landowners restore 
150 acres of critical floodplain to wetlands and 
woodlands. This will slow the river and reduce the 
run-off of nitrogen and phosphorus, thereby 
improving water quality. We also promote the 
Fieldprint® Calculator, an online tool that helps farmers 
analyse their environmental and operational impacts. 
	 Watch a short video about the Wabash River project
Engaging with our suppliers 
Improving water management in our agricultural 
supply chains
Our greatest challenge in responsible water 
stewardship, as well as our biggest opportunity, 
lies in addressing impacts within our supply chains. 
Significant improvements in water efficiency can be 
made through better agricultural techniques at a farm 
level. These help our suppliers be more productive and 
resilient, and ensure a reliable supply of raw 
ingredients for our products.
We train farmers in water-scarce locations on water 
use, water quality and soil moisture, while our 
research and development teams develop drought-
resistant cocoa and coffee trees.
Our commitment: 
Engage with suppliers, especially 
those in agriculture.
By 2020: Implement all action plans defined for improved water 
management in our upstream supply chain for coffee, sugar, dairy 
and cereals in high-priority locations.
 In progress
Our results:
We have over 40 projects in water-stressed areas (in 28 countries).
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
84
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Supporting the human right to water and sanitation
With support from Nestlé, the CEO Water Mandate 
published its guidance for companies on respecting the 
human rights to water and sanitation in 2015. We 
developed our own Nestlé Guidelines on Respecting the 
Human Rights to Water and Sanitation by the end of the 
same year, helping our markets and factories to respect 
and support these fundamental rights. 
We have started to implement the guidelines in four 
high-risk markets, and will roll them out to the remaining 
high- and medium-risk markets within the next two years.
Our partnership with the IFRC 
We have partnered with the International Federation of 
Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in western 
Africa since 2002. Supporting its Global Water and 
Sanitation Initiative to improve access to safe water and 
sanitation for 30 million people by 2030, we have helped 
316 274 members of rural cocoa-growing communities in 
Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana gain greater access to clean water 
and sanitation through our partnership with the IFRC. 
•	 In the cocoa-growing region of Côte d’Ivoire, we have 
helped repair and establish water points, renovate and 
build sanitation facilities, and run hygiene awareness 
programmes in villages and schools. Ten years on, we 
published a retrospective study to assess how much of 
the facilities and engagement material is still in place.
•	 More recently, the Ghana Sustainable Water, Sanitation 
and Hygiene Project (Gha-WASH) has sought to 
provide cocoa-farming communities in the Eastern and 
Ashanti regions of Ghana with access to WASH 
services. This includes the installation of community 
water points and latrines at schools, as well as raising 
awareness about hygiene-related diseases.
Helping schools stop the leaks in South Africa
With many schools in South Africa losing water due to 
leaking taps and broken pipes, Nestlé launched a 
school water leaks project in November 2017. Our 
partnership with Dan Tloome Primary School in 
Ikageng, near Potchefstroom, North-West Province, 
has seen new taps, toilet facilities and drinking stations 
installed, and the network of pipes repaired. As well as 
reducing water loss, this will improve the hygiene and 
sanitation facilities for approximately 1500 students. 
The project will also be incorporated into lessons 
about the importance of water conservation. 
“Through this project, we intend to 
enhance the quality of lives and 
contribute to the healthier future 
of the pupils, teachers and the 
broader community. In the next 
12 months, we will monitor water 
consumption and quantify the 
savings. We hope that we will at 
least halve the school’s municipal 
water use.” 
Monako Dibetle, Public Affairs Manager, 
Nestlé South Africa
These actions help develop resilient farming communities 
and create a more favourable business environment at the 
same time. Increased productivity, women’s empowerment 
and healthier communities are some of the outcomes of 
improved access to safe water and sanitation.
Access to water, sanitation and hygiene 
Raising awareness and improving WASH services
As well as being a basic human right, safe water, 
access to sanitation and hygiene (WASH) reduces 
mortality and morbidity, strengthens community 
resilience and preserves personal dignity.
Businesses, working with expert partners, have 
a role to play in helping more people gain access to 
WASH services. 
Our commitment: 
Raise awareness on water conservation, 
and improve access to water and 
sanitation across our value chain.
By 2017: Implement all corrective action plans derived from the global 
roll-out of the WBCSD WASH Pledge self-assessment for safe water, 
sanitation and hygiene in the workplace at Nestlé premises.
 Achieved
Our results:
Over 90% of employees have confirmed access to WASH and we 
estimate reaching almost 100%. We are committed to achieving 
and maintaining WASH for all our employees and remain in the 
process of continuing self-assessments across our facilities, 
identifying and correcting gaps through action plans.
By 2020: Implement detailed guidelines on human rights to water 
and sanitation due diligence in all Nestlé markets and key agricultural 
supply chains.
 In progress
Our results:
Started to implement the Nestlé Guidelines on Respecting the 
Human Rights to Water and Sanitation in high-risk markets. 
By 2020: Ensure 600 000 beneficiaries in local communities have 
access to water, sanitation or hygiene projects around our 
manufacturing facilities and key agricultural supply chains. 
 Achieved
Our results:
722 379 people around the world benefiting from our WASH 
programmes to date.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
85
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

The WASH Pledge
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development 
(WBCSD) believes all employees should have access to 
safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in the 
workplace. We are now one of 44 signatories to have 
adopted its WASH Pledge, to help 2.7 million employees 
secure access to water and sanitation. 
In 2017, an estimated 91% of our employees, including 
those in high- and medium-risk markets, had access to 
WASH services at work. 
During World Water Week in August 2017, Nestlé joined 
representatives from WBCSD and other organisations to 
discuss leadership on, and support for, the WASH Pledge. 
	 Watch a short video on World Water Week
WASH in the hazelnut supply chain, Turkey
In the Black Sea region of Turkey, we sponsored and 
facilitated several improvements to WASH services 
for seasonal migrant workers in our hazelnut supply 
chain. Working with our suppliers BALSU and 
Olam-Progida, we improved the water infrastructure 
in the village of Esmahanım, and built wells in Balatlı, 
Beyören and Demiraçma, and in other locations close 
to camps, shelters and hazelnut farms. We also 
provided mobile toilets and showers, soap, shampoo 
and sanitary products.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
86
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Climate change is a critical global 
challenge, with shifting weather patterns 
threatening food security and changes in 
consumption putting pressure on natural 
resources. Our size and scale mean we can 
take positive actions on climate change 
and find ways to further reduce GHG 
emissions and use more renewable energy.
Why acting on climate change matters
GHG emissions have increased dramatically over the 
last century, leading to unprecedented atmospheric 
concentrations of CO2, methane and nitrous oxide (N2O). 
This is almost certainly the dominant cause of 
global warming. 
In the wake of recent climate conferences – COP21 in 
Paris (2015), COP22 in Marrakech (2016) and COP23 in 
Bonn (2017) – we believe there is now a global imperative 
to reduce GHG emissions. This demands a united 
approach between governments, industry and civil 
society, and will require several fundamental changes, 
including a significant shift towards renewable energy 
to replace fossil fuels. 
The impact on food security
Climate change is already impacting the food and 
beverage sector. Our industry relies on a sustainable 
supply of raw materials, and shifting weather patterns 
change how and where our ingredients can be farmed. 
Exacerbated by a rising global population and the 
associated growth in consumption, climate change also 
puts pressure on water resources. Compounding the 
issue, about a third of global food production is wasted or 
lost every year, generating unnecessary GHG emissions. 
The need for mitigation and adaptation
Humanity must adapt to our changing climate to manage 
its impact on finite resources. Estimates suggest that 
the world may need to spend USD 280–500 billion 
(CHF 275.6–492.1 billion) per year by 2050 on adaptation, 
depending on emissions scenarios (UNEP, 2016). 
We continue to seek solutions to the environmental 
challenges fuelled by climate change through: 
•	 Adaptation: In partnership with several NGOs, we are 
helping our suppliers adapt to a changing climate by, 
for example, providing farmers with drought-resistant, 
high-yield coffee and cocoa plantlets;
•	 Mitigation: Reducing our GHG emissions in line with 
the scientific requirements to limit global warming to 
less than 2°C; and
•	 Reporting: Communicating openly and honestly about 
our work with governments, trade bodies and NGOs.
	 Read more about our approach to climate change
External recognition 
•	Received the maximum score of 100/100 in the 
Climate strategy section of the 2017 Dow Jones 
Sustainability Index. 
•	Earned a place in CDP’s 2017 Climate A list. 
Our work on climate change contributes to the 
following SDGs:
Acting on 
climate change
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
87
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Reducing GHG emissions
Underpinned by The Nestlé Policy on Environmental 
Sustainability, our main focus is to reduce our GHG 
emissions. By investing in renewable resources, 
improving energy efficiency and switching to cleaner 
fuels, we are pursuing our science-based 2020 objective 
of reducing GHG emissions per tonne of product by 35% 
in our manufacturing operations since 2010.
Such objectives form part of our holistic approach to 
tackling climate change, and contribute to efforts to limit 
climate warming to less than 2°C. Over the last 10 years, 
we have made real progress, reducing direct GHG 
emissions per tonne of product by 33.2% while increasing 
production by 35.3%. 
Direct GHG emissions: 
3.5 million tonnes of CO2eq (2.2% reduction)
Direct GHG emissions: 
64 kg of CO2eq per tonne of product (1.9% reduction)
Indirect GHG emissions: 
3.0 million tonnes of CO2eq (12.9% reduction)
Indirect GHG emissions: 
54 kg of CO2eq per tonne of product (12.6% reduction)
We remain on track to achieve our objective, as we have 
achieved an overall reduction of 26.5% in our manufacturing 
operations versus 2010, and reduced GHG emissions 
(Scope 1 and 2) per tonne of product in every product 
category (see below).
GHG emissions (Scope 1 and 2) by product category 
(kg CO2eq per tonne)
2010
2017
Reduction 
(%)
Powdered and liquid beverages
798
440
45
Water
28
19
28
Milk products and ice cream
348
253
27
Nutrition and healthcare
580
506
6
Prepared dishes and cooking aids
286
233
18
Confectionery
429
320
25
PetCare
150
131
13
Overall GHG emissions rate
162
118
26.5
As more than 90% of our GHG emissions occur along our 
value chain, we are also working to reduce Scope 3 GHG 
emissions. Our detailed reporting of Scope 3 emissions 
can be found here and on pages 129–147 of our CDP 
Climate Change submission.
Climate change leadership 
Reaffirming our commitment to the Paris Agreement
We believe Nestlé is well placed to help address the 
climate change challenge. Our aim is to ensure the 
continuity of our own business and those in our supply 
chain while protecting the wider environment.
We are committed to further reducing GHG emissions 
along our value chain, in line with science-based 
targets. We also continue to strengthen our supply 
chain and help the farmers we work with become 
more resilient to climate change.
Our commitment: 
Provide climate change leadership. 
Ongoing: As a member of RE100, aim to procure 100% of our 
electricity from renewable sources within the shortest practical 
timescale.
 In progress
Our results:
25.7% of the electricity we use comes from renewable sources.
By 2020: Reduce GHG emissions (Scope 1 and 2) per tonne of 
product in every product category to achieve an overall reduction of 
35% in our manufacturing operations versus 2010.
 In progress
Our results:
Reduced GHG emissions (Scope 1 and 2) in our manufacturing 
operations by 26.5% per tonne of product since 2010.
By 2020: Reduce GHG emissions by 10% in our distribution 
operations versus 2014.
 In progress
Our results:
Reduced GHG emissions in our distribution operations by 4.3% 
since 2014.
By 2020: Reduce GHG emissions by 10% in the 100 major 
warehouses we use versus 2014.
 Achieved
Our results:
Reduced GHG emissions in our major warehouses by 28.3% 
since 2014.
By 2020: Expand the use of natural refrigerants, which do not harm 
the ozone layer and have a negligible impact on climate change, in 
our industrial refrigeration systems.
 In progress
Our results:
58 new refrigeration systems using natural refrigerants installed 
in 2017.
By 2020: All new proprietary cold beverage dispensers of Nestlé 
Professional will use natural refrigerants.
 In progress
Our results:
R&D project is ongoing for the Nestlé Professional proprietary 
dispensing equipment, CoolPro, to determine technical 
requirements to switch to natural refrigerants.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
88
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Environmental Target Setting (ETS) programme 
Our ETS programme is designed to help our factory teams 
improve water and energy efficiency, and reduce GHG 
emissions. For example, in March 2017, the Yinlu Hubei 
factory – our biggest water user and third-highest 
consumer of energy in the Greater China Region – sought to 
explore energy- and water-saving opportunities. We 
identified possible annual energy savings of 168 000 GJ, 
745 000 m3 of water withdrawal reductions and a fall of 
19 000 tonnes of CO2 emissions through the recovery and 
reuse of water and heat. The 45 projects built into the action 
plan are expected to save the factory CHF 2.3 million. 
To further improve our environmental performance, we 
have developed a web-based tool, Do It Yourself. This 
enables each of our sites to identify and adopt energy- 
and water-saving opportunities that have already been 
successful elsewhere in the Group or are best-in-class 
solutions proposed by in-house experts. In 2017, 102 sites 
used the tool. 
Increasing our use of renewable energy
We are increasing our use of renewable fuels, with 
22 factories using spent coffee grounds as a renewable 
fuel, and 27 factories using wood chips. What has mostly 
helped to increase by 96% the share of renewable energy 
is the increase in renewable electricity, described in the 
next paragraph.
We aim to procure 100%1 of our electricity from renewable 
sources within the shortest practical timescale. All our 
operations have received guidance to help them optimise 
electricity consumption, better understand their local power 
market and identify opportunities for purchasing renewable 
energy from the local grid. Since 2016, when the guidance 
was published, we have doubled the share of renewable 
electricity we purchase to 25.7% (6.8 petajoules). This has 
helped us increase the share of renewable energy in our 
total on-site energy consumption by 96%.
	 Read about our commitment to 
100% renewable electricity
Chile switches to cleaner fuels
Aligned with our ambition of striving for zero 
environmental impact from our operations by 2030, 
our San Fernando factory in Chile has successfully 
modernised its facilities, enabling it to switch from 
coal to natural gas – a cleaner fuel. This reduced direct 
GHG emissions by 25% within the first year, and 
helped avoid 170 tonnes of waste for disposal that 
resulted from the combustion of coal.
Efficient transport and warehouses2
We transport more than 148 540 tonnes from 1667 
warehouses daily – covering a distance equivalent to 
driving 242 times around the world each day. 
Our transport and distribution operations generated 
3.18 million tonnes of GHGs in 2016.
Transport
Our partnerships with third-party logistics providers 
enable us to track our environmental performance and 
improve efficiency by reducing distances, fuel 
consumption, GHG emissions, noise and congestion. 
Our reporting covers 72% of our total product volume. 
We are making good progress towards our objective, with 
emissions per tonne of product down by 4.3% in 2016, 
compared with our 2014 baseline. We have achieved this by:
•	 Streamlining our distribution networks, route planning 
and vehicle space usage;
•	 Identifying and defining new transportation methods 
and alternative fuels; and
•	 Training our drivers to improve safety and 
environmental efficiency. 
We strive to ensure that ‘no vehicle leaves empty’, avoid 
unnecessary journeys where we can and redesign 
distribution networks to improve efficiency. We also 
switch our transportation from road to rail or sea wherever 
possible (road transport is now down to 70% of total 
transport), and use natural gas in our trucks. 
More sustainable transport at Nestlé Waters
Continuing to explore transport options that lower 
emissions, Nestlé Waters converted 8% of its fleet in 
Italy from diesel- to gas-powered vehicles at the start 
of 2017. Nestlé Waters North America is also 
introducing alternative fuels to reduce its carbon 
footprint and switching 589 ReadyRefresh delivery 
vehicles to propane gas by the end of 2017. 
Watch a short video about how Nestlé Waters is 
improving the environmental performance of its 
transport network by reducing distances travelled, 
optimising payloads, using alternative modes of 
transport, exploring new technologies and working 
closely with key partners.
Warehouses
We also search for ways to reduce the energy consumption 
in our warehouses, by improving illumination, heating, 
cooling and insulation. We are particularly focused on 
switching to renewable energy. We are currently on track 
to meet our 2020 objective, having reduced emissions in 
our top 100 warehouses to 6.5 kg CO2eq per tonne of 
product, a fall of 28.3% against our 2014 baseline. 
Using natural refrigerants 
In our industrial refrigeration systems, we are phasing out 
synthetic refrigerants with high global-warming and 
ozone-depleting potential, such as hydrofluorocarbons 
(HFCs). We are replacing them with CO2, ammonia, water, 
air and hydrocarbons, and have invested CHF 303 million 
in these natural alternatives since 1992. We expanded the 
use of natural refrigerants by installing 58 new 
refrigeration systems in 2017.
Since 2015, every new horizontal chest freezer we have 
bought to store ice cream has used natural refrigerants. Since 
2016, almost all of our new ice cream chest, upright and 
island freezers use natural refrigerants. These commercial 
refrigeration units use half the energy of the previous units.
1	 Includes joint ventures; excludes co-manufacturing arrangements.
2	 2016 data are the latest available for transportation. Warehouse data 
reflects 2017.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
89
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Supporting climate change initiatives
We endorse a number of multi-stakeholder collaborations 
and programmes that we believe align with our climate 
change commitments, and our respect for society and 
the environment. 
•	 By supporting Caring for Climate, the world’s largest 
global coalition on climate issues, we commit to 
renewing our efforts to improve energy efficiency, 
reducing our GHG emissions, setting voluntary targets 
and publicly reporting on progress. Our efforts help 
demonstrate leadership on critical climate issues and 
help shape the policy agenda.
•	 We provide funding for the World Alliance for Efficient 
Solutions, an initiative launched by Solar Impulse 
Foundation at COP22, under the United Nations 
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 
We also support several other major initiatives by 
leading international organisations, including The 
Trillion Tonne Communiqué by the Prince of Wales’s 
Corporate Leaders Group and the New York 
Declaration on Forests.
•	 Our partnership with Feed the Future, in support of its 
Climate Smart Cocoa project, aims to help smallholder 
cocoa producers in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire adopt 
agricultural practices to offset the challenges of climate 
change. Feed the Future is a US Government initiative 
that supports national approaches to addressing the 
causes of hunger and poverty.
•	 In 2017, we shared best practice examples of 
renewable energy use with other members of RE100, 
through webinars and our active participation in a 
conference in Brussels.
We already provide climate change information in our 
Annual Report package and this year, we met our 
objective to implement the Guide for Responsible 
Corporate Engagement in Climate Policy. 
Our efforts also align with CDP’s climate action initiatives, 
which focus on: adopting science-based GHG reduction 
targets; procuring 100% renewable electricity; combating 
deforestation in our supply chain; reporting on climate 
change; engagement on climate change policy making; 
and carbon pricing.
Proactive engagement on climate change 
Collaborating on policy development and direct action
With the right policies and initiatives in place, we are 
better able to meet our science-based commitments 
to reduce GHG emissions and support the global 
transition to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy, 
in line with the 2015 Paris Agreement. We also lead, 
and actively participate in, several initiatives to further 
reduce emissions, and engage on long-term climate 
policy wherever possible.
Our commitment: 
Promote transparency and proactive, 
long-term engagement in climate policy.
By 2020: Implement the Guide for Responsible Corporate Engagement 
in Climate Policy developed by CDP, the UNGC, Ceres, The Climate 
Group, the WWF and the World Resources Institute (WRI). 
 In progress
Our results:
We have continued to disclose our actions on climate change 
through our public reporting and stakeholder engagement.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
90
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Our basic ingredients come from plants 
and animals, forests, farms and oceans, 
so protecting those natural environments 
is essential. We aim to secure a more 
sustainable supply of natural resources 
and raw ingredients for our products, to 
grow our business while improving our 
environmental performance.
Why safeguarding the environment matters
Declining natural capital 
Natural habitats continue to shrink, due to a combination 
of climate change, the growing population and greater 
demand for raw materials. Research indicates that we 
consume 1.6 times what our planet naturally provides, 
and it will take two Earths to sustain us by 2030 (Global 
Footprint Network). Global species populations also 
declined by 58% from 1970–2012 (Living Planet Index), 
with human activities including agriculture and fishing a 
significant contributing factor.
Protecting our natural capital is in everybody’s interest, as 
biodiversity is the cornerstone of a balanced ecosystem 
and of human well-being. We encourage diversity in the 
crops, plants and animals to keep our ecosystems strong 
and healthy. We work with all stakeholders to raise 
awareness, identify risks and agree responses – from 
investment and participation in hands-on activities to 
regulatory intervention. 
Waste and resource use
With the current rates of population growth and 
urbanisation, global waste generation is expected to rise 
to 2.2 billion tonnes by 2025 (World Bank). Without 
transformational changes in how we use and reuse 
materials, that level of waste carries serious 
consequences, both physical and fiscal. 
In our sites, we reduce, reuse and recycle, with the 
ultimate goal of achieving zero waste for disposal. 
And while we support the concept of the circular 
economy, we do see limitations in its application. 
Therefore, in line with The Nestlé Policy on Environmental 
Sustainability, we follow its principles only where there is a 
clear environmental benefit and where it is appropriate. 
We do this by designing and developing our products to 
make them better for the environment, and using 
renewable resources wherever possible. 
Reducing food loss and waste
About one-third of global food production is either wasted 
or lost every year (Food and Agriculture Organization), 
generating unnecessary GHG emissions and wasting 
water. It also affects farmer income, and the availability 
and cost of food, contributing to inequality and 
undermining rural development. 
We have updated the toolkit we use to combat food loss 
and waste along our value chain, and in Germany, we 
launched our ‘Together Against Food Waste’ campaign 
to reduce food loss and waste in our canteens. We joined 
Champions 12.3 to support the UN’s efforts in this area, 
and through the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), we led 
the development of the Food Loss & Waste Protocol. We 
also support the introduction of simplified, standardised 
food date labels by 2020.
	 Read more about our approach to 
safeguarding the environment
Our work on safeguarding the environment 
contributes to the following SDGs:
Safeguarding 
the environment
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
91
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Life-cycle assessments (LCAs) analyse GHG emissions, 
freshwater consumption scarcity, non-biological (‘abiotic’) 
resource depletion, land use impact on biodiversity, and 
the impact on ecosphere and ecosystems quality 
throughout a product’s entire life-cycle.
Using eco-design tools
Comprehensive LCAs are lengthy, expensive exercises, 
making them impractical when assessing thousands of 
products every year. To overcome this, we co-developed 
a simplified eco-design tool, EcodEX (Eco-design for 
Sustainable Product Development and Introduction). 
Initially piloted in 2012, EcodEX enables us to assess a 
product’s environmental performance quickly, cost-
effectively and earlier in the product development process.
Integrated into our existing IT network, EcodEX is a 
web-based tool that uses data from our recipe 
management system. It only allows the user to enter a 
restricted range of data, appropriate for the typical 
life-cycle of a food product (ingredients, packaging, 
processing, distribution, consumer use and end of life). 
This information is supplemented with inventory data 
acquired from publicly available and internationally 
recognised external sources. We are also supporting the 
development of the World Food LCA Database, Phase 2, 
helping researchers, consultants, industry organisations 
and authorities benefit from more accurate, consistent 
and comparable datasets. EcodEX has been made 
commercially available to others in our sector.
EcodEX has now been deployed across our entire R&D 
organisation, making us the first in our sector to use such 
an eco-design tool at scale. EcodEX studies can be used 
as preliminary studies for a full LCA. As of 2018, EcodEX 
will comprise a feature to evaluate groups of products and 
capture food loss and waste throughout the value chain.
	 Read more about our eco-design tools
Sustainability Category Profiles
We summarise our products’ environmental impact 
assessments through Nestlé Sustainability Category 
Profiles. Highlighting areas of significant environmental 
impact along the value chain (known as ‘hotspots’), they 
are developed for internal distribution, promoting 
understanding of what we are doing to continuously 
improve the environmental performance of our products. 
By the end of 2017 we assessed and addressed 22 product 
categories for sustainability hotspots, including bottled 
water, instant coffee and chilled dairy. 
Identifying sustainability ‘hotspots’ 
Improving the environmental impact of our foods 
and beverages
We assess and optimise the environmental 
performance of our new and renovated products 
across the entire value chain, from farmer to consumer 
and beyond. This gives us a clear understanding of 
their life-cycle impacts.
Our commitment: 
Assess and optimise the environmental 
performance of our products. 
By 2020: Identify, update and address the sustainability ‘hotspots’ 
for 20 product categories. 
 Achieved
Our results:
By the end of 2017, we evaluated and addressed the sustainability 
hotspots for 22 product categories since the introduction of 
eco-design software a decade ago.
Evaluated 7005 projects and 20 608 scenarios using eco-design tools. 
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
92
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Optimising packaging 
Since 1991, we have avoided 816 913 tonnes of packaging 
material and saved more than CHF 1.4 billion. In turn, this 
means we have avoided more than 395 950 tonnes of 
CO2eq – equivalent to 84 245 cars being taken off the road 
for a year. Having reached our 2017 target, we extended 
our commitment to optimise packaging weight and 
volume, which we hope to achieve by 2020. 
“Although our 2020 objective is within 
reach, we are also getting to the stage 
where removing more weight from 
packaging could increase food loss 
and waste. This reality has seen us 
lower our expectations in terms of 
how much packaging we can reduce 
in the years ahead.” 
Jochen Hertlein, Packaging Performance and Sustainability 
Lead, Nestlé
Packaging materials used (million tonnes)
2017	
  4.9
2016	
  5.0
2015	
  5.3
Using renewable materials 
Currently, 39.3% of the packaging materials we use are 
made from renewable sources; these are primarily paper 
and board, but also include bioplastics. 
Through the NaturALL Bottle Alliance, Nestlé Waters is 
working with Danone and Origin Materials, a US start-up, 
to develop a PET plastic bottle made from 100% 
renewable materials. The project uses post-consumer 
cardboard or sawdust, so does not divert resources or 
land from food production. With the technology’s success 
at a pilot level, commercial-scale production of 60% 
bio-based PET plastic bottles will begin by 2020, reaching 
95% by 2022 and eventually 100%. 
Recycled content
We use recycled materials for our packaging where they 
are proven by LCAs to be equal or better in environmental 
performance, and do not jeopardise the quality, 
performance, safety or consumer acceptance of our foods 
and beverages. However, the challenges we currently face 
in collecting and recycling packaging materials cannot be 
tackled alone, so multi-stakeholder action at scale is vital. 
•	 In Europe, we joined CEFLEX (A Circular Economy for 
Flexible Packaging), a collaboration set up by a 
consortium of companies ranging from raw material 
suppliers to retailers. CEFLEX members are developing 
design guidelines for flexible packaging, as well as the 
infrastructure needed to collect, sort and recycle it 
across the continent.
•	 Nestlé Purina PetCare and Nestlé USA participate 
in Materials Recovery for the Future (MRFF), an 
industry research collaboration committed to finding 
recovery solutions for flexible plastic packaging in 
the United States. 
•	 Nestlé Waters increased the amount of recycled plastic 
used in its Arrowhead® Mountain Spring Water bottles, 
with 90% of its bottles made in California incorporating 
50% post-consumer recycled plastic content. As a 
result of its efforts, approximately 1.8 billion bottles 
have been kept out of landfill, and the 39 million kg of 
recycled plastic has saved over 69 000 tonnes of CO2 
since 2012 (the equivalent of taking 13 349 cars off the 
road for a year).
Improve packaging performance 
Using less material and recycling more 
Packaging is crucial for protecting foods and 
beverages, preventing food waste, and providing 
important information for individuals and families. We 
work to optimise our packaging to minimise resource 
use; use more materials from sustainably managed 
renewable resources; support initiatives to recycle or 
recover energy from used packaging; and use recycled 
materials wherever there is a clear environmental 
benefit and it is appropriate.
Our commitment: 
Improve the environmental 
performance of our packaging.
By 2017/By 2020: Continue to systematically analyse and optimise 
our packaging portfolio, avoiding the use of at least 100 000 tonnes 
of packaging material from 2015 to 2017 and at least 140 000 tonnes 
from 2015 to 2020.
 2017: Achieved         2020: In progress
Our results:
103 652 tonnes of packaging avoided in 2015–2017, saving 
CHF 168.0 million
By 2020: Drive alliances with relevant stakeholders to 
address packaging waste management and marine littering 
in 10 relevant markets.
 In progress
Our results:
Four markets covered by ongoing projects and collaborations.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
93
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

•	 Alongside Coca-Cola, Tetra Pak, Unilever, Danone and 
Indofood, Nestlé Indonesia works through the 
Packaging and Recycling Alliance for Indonesia’s 
Sustainable Environment (PRAISE) to improve 
packaging waste management in the country. 
Supporting the government’s national waste 
management roadmap, PRAISE members have 
reduced packaging weight, participated in waste 
management campaigns and joined coastal clean-ups.
Supporting recovery and recycling 
In many markets, there is a gap between what can be and 
what is recycled. For example, the US Environmental 
Protection Agency estimates that 75% of waste in the US 
is recyclable, but only 30% actually gets recycled. 
We seek to recover packaging, to prevent it from 
contaminating natural habitats. Our initiatives involve 
engaging partners along the value chain – from raw 
material suppliers to consumers – to improve collection, 
sorting and recycling infrastructure. 
Our engagement in 2017 included the following examples: 
•	 Guided by the Central Pollution Control Board, Nestlé 
India joined the Confederation of Indian Industry and the 
Indian Pollution Control Association to educate informal 
waste pickers, as well as consumers, about the 
collection, segregation and disposal of plastic waste. 
•	 Alongside leading businesses, government and 
community partners, Nestlé Waters North America 
invested USD 6 million (approximately CHF 5.9 million) 
in May 2017 towards recycling infrastructure and 
programmes across the United States. To date, the 
USD 100 million investment in the Closed Loop Fund 
has diverted more than 100 000 tonnes of recyclable 
material from landfill, and the 11 live projects are 
expected to divert 4 million tonnes by 2025.
The difference in approaches to waste recovery 
infrastructure between markets makes it harder to 
standardise our methods, but we have intensified our 
efforts to prevent our packaging from ending life as litter. 
Our new objective will ensure we work with internal 
Nestlé departments as well as external industry and 
NGO groups to make an impact in key areas. 
Nespresso’s recycling programme
Since 1991, Nespresso has invested in dedicated 
collection and recycling schemes to help individuals 
and families recycle its used capsules. There are more 
than 100 000 collection options globally, with people 
in Germany, Sweden and Finland able to dispose of 
capsules through household recycling schemes. 
Once collected, the aluminium capsules are 
transformed into drinks cans, bicycles, computers – 
even new capsules – while used coffee grounds are 
turned into biogas or biofuel compost.
By the end of 2016, our global collection capacity had 
reached 86%, with a target of 100% for 2020. Find out 
more in the Nespresso Creating Shared Value report.
Collective action on plastic waste and marine littering
An estimated 8 million tonnes of plastic waste end up in 
the oceans every year, up to 80% of which comes from 
land-based waste. This includes plastic packaging and 
microbeads from skincare products. 
We recognise that our plastic packaging, if not recycled, 
reused or responsibly disposed of, can end up in rivers 
and oceans, and harm marine life. No company can solve 
this problem alone, so we are working with governments, 
NGOs, companies and multi-stakeholder alliances to 
improve recycling and recovery rates, and to encourage 
consumers to dispose of waste plastic properly. 
To intensify our efforts, we are now part of an important 
global platform, the New Plastics Economy (NPE). This 
ambitious, three-year initiative, launched in May 2016 by 
the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, brings together key 
stakeholders from across the value chain to redesign the 
future of plastics and packaging. The NPE’s Catalysing 
Action report details the latest research and outlines a 
clear strategy for the global plastics industry to design 
better packaging, increase recycling rates and introduce 
new models for making better use of packaging.
Using this platform, we initiated an industry-wide 
collaboration (Project SEA) to build a common 
understanding of local waste management systems, 
piloting this in priority countries in Asia, including the 
Philippines and Indonesia. This understanding will inform 
the development of an efficient packaging waste recovery 
strategy. So far, about 20 organisations, including 
companies, NGOs and government authorities, are 
actively participating in the project.
Our other partnerships include: 
•	 Joining global alliances such as the Trash Free 
Seas Alliance® through the Consumer Goods Forum 
(CGF), and participating in the CGF’s Solid Waste 
Working Group;
•	 Pledging our support to WWF’s Cascading Materials 
Vision, which foresees a global system of reusing 
materials;
•	 Supporting the Microplastics and Plastic Marine 
Littering project, led by the Fraunhofer Institute for 
Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology 
(UMSICHT), to improve our understanding of 
microplastics in marine littering and define potential 
actions; and
•	 Collaborating with the International Reference Centre 
for the Life Cycle of Products, Processes and Services 
(CIRAIG) on a life-cycle impact category indicator for 
the biodiversity effects of marine littering. 
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
94
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Measuring food loss and waste
Our Zero Food Wastage Taskforce, responsible for 
bringing our commitment to life, leads food waste 
reduction initiatives across our value chain and monitors 
progress against our objectives. In 2017, it updated the 
Food Waste Toolkit, designed to promote activities that 
reduce food loss and waste along our value chain, and 
updated the Zero Waste for Disposal Guideline. 
To address the challenge of measuring food loss and 
waste accurately, we led the development of the Food 
Loss & Waste Protocol (FLW Protocol) on behalf of the 
CGF. Since it was launched in June 2016, we have also 
piloted the Food Loss and Waste Accounting and 
Reporting Standard (FLW Standard) in our dairy supply 
chain in Pakistan. 
As detailed in a case study published in March 2017 by the 
World Resources Institute, the total milk lost or wasted 
across all stages of this complex supply chain was an 
estimated 1.4% of the milk produced, about 40% of which 
occurred at farm level. This low level of loss confirms that 
we are having a positive effect, through technical 
assistance and training to avoid pre-harvest losses, and 
by providing adequate cooling and storage facilities to 
reduce post-collection waste.
	 Read more about our collaborations and partnerships 
on food waste
Together against food waste
In Germany, we have developed a range of resources 
to reduce food loss and waste in our canteens. Our 
Together against Food Waste campaign included 
online information with hints, tips, quizzes and recipes 
for using up leftovers, a Facebook page, a brochure 
for NGOs and coverage in the national press. Our 
efforts were promoted as best practice examples by 
the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
Achieving zero waste for disposal 
We define waste for disposal, in general terms, as any 
material that leaves a site and is destined for final disposal 
with no economic or ecological value. It includes 
landfilling and incineration without energy recovery. 
Our goal is to achieve zero waste for disposal in all of our 
sites worldwide by 2020. By the end of 2017, 253 of our 
factories, 97 distribution centres, 19 R&D centres and 
101 offices achieved zero waste for disposal. 
96% 
of our total waste is being recovered and 
58% 
of our factories have achieved zero waste 
for disposal.
From the waste that is currently not recovered, 98% 
goes to landfill. 
Only 0.6% of the waste we generate is classified as 
hazardous, and this is managed and disposed of in 
accordance with local and global standards and 
relevant regulations.
	 Read more about how we’re striving for zero 
Recovering by-products 
By-products are materials that leave our sites and are 
reused or recovered, including recycling, composting and 
incineration with energy recovery. In 2017, we recovered 
96% of the materials used in manufacturing. We analyse 
the waste and by-products we generate through 
manufacturing to identify best practices that can be 
shared across markets.
Reducing food loss and waste 
Accelerating progress towards greater resource 
efficiency 
Around 30% of the food produced for human 
consumption is wasted along the value chain, resulting 
in social, environmental and economic costs. These 
range from unnecessary water use, GHG emissions 
and risks to food security to an avoidable financial 
burden borne by individuals and families, farmers 
and businesses.
Our commitment: 
Reduce food loss and waste. 
Ongoing: As a member of Champions 12.3, accelerate progress 
towards halving food waste by 2030.
 In progress
Our results:
We have continued to reduce waste for disposal in our factories 
(see below). 
By 2020: Achieve zero waste for disposal in our sites.
 In progress
Our results:
253 of our factories achieved zero waste for disposal in 2017.
217 office, R&D and distribution centres also reached zero waste for 
disposal, which makes a total of 470 sites globally.
Reduced waste for disposal per tonne of product by 88% since 2007. 
By 2020: Make date labels understandable to our consumers to 
reduce food waste at consumption stage.
 In progress
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
95
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Sharing information
We believe that people are more likely to behave 
sustainably when they have access to clear, science-
based information. Our life-cycle assessments (LCAs) 
enable us to provide the relevant information, shared via 
packaging and online. 
In 2017, Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) joined 
How2Recycle®, a US consumer education programme 
with over 60 members. The labelling scheme 
communicates standardised information on a wide range 
of product packaging, explaining what materials can be 
recycled and how to prepare them (such as rinsing bottles 
and replacing caps). NWNA will use the How2Recycle® 
label on products across North America.
We outline the environmental sustainability aspects of our 
foods and beverages, such as stating ingredient sourcing, 
production methods and adherence to standards, through 
on-pack messaging. But while consumer demand for such 
information is increasing, space is limited. Therefore, we’ve 
been using quick response (QR) codes to link people to 
mobile websites containing tips on sustainable consumption 
and use, avoiding food waste and recycling packaging. 
Internally, brand-led ‘Doing More’ workshops help us 
decide how to communicate a brand’s nutritional, 
environmental and societal contributions.
	 Read more about going ‘beyond the label’ for 
nutritional information 
Promoting sustainable consumption 
Providing information to engage individuals and families 
Our global presence gives us direct access to millions 
of individuals and families. This means we are well 
placed to share product information that helps 
everyone make more sustainable choices.
We can encourage people to recycle more, lower their 
energy consumption and reduce their use of resources.
Our commitment: 
Provide meaningful and accurate 
environmental information and dialogue. 
Piloting environmental footprints in Europe
The European Commission’s Product Environmental 
Footprint project seeks to develop a common 
methodology for different product categories. 
We have supported the Commission since 2014 in 
developing category rules for packed water and 
pet food. These cover performance benchmarks for 
different compliance and verification systems, 
and communication channels.
We conducted a pilot study to determine how to 
engage individuals and families about sustainable 
purchasing decisions. We began by assessing the 
environmental impacts of our premium pet food, 
Purina ONE, with a focus on climate change, water 
resources and land use. A second phase focused 
on communicating results, which we tested using 
Purina ONE and Nestlé Waters Vittel bottled water.
By 2020: Improve the availability and consistency of fact-based 
environmental information for consumers on our digital and 
other channels.
 In progress
Our results:
Through our corporate websites alone, we provide environmental 
information in 127 countries. Packaging and brand websites provide 
additional information. 
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
96
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Valuing and protecting biodiversity
We are committed to stewarding biodiversity, together 
with other stakeholders. As well as reporting on our risks 
and responses, we work to raise awareness of local and 
regional biodiversity issues, so that individuals and 
families can make more informed choices.
By placing a value on the impact of biodiversity loss on our 
business, we can define the best way to reduce these 
impacts, through targeted investment or by collaborating on 
regulatory and governmental interventions. In recent years, 
we have drawn up a list of priority issues and dependencies, 
to help us decide where to focus our activities.
Combating deforestation 
As well as providing a home for 70% of the world’s 
species, trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen 
into the atmosphere. It is in everyone’s interest that forests 
are managed and maintained to combat global warming, 
soil erosion, water pollution and biodiversity loss. Yet 
every minute, an area of forest the size of 36 football 
pitches is lost. Deforestation is mainly caused by 
urbanisation and farmers clearing forests for growing 
crops or grazing livestock. Trees are also logged for 
wood and paper products. 
As we buy ingredients like soya and palm oil from regions 
at risk of deforestation, and depend on paper materials for 
our packaging, we need to ensure our products are not 
produced at the expense of our forests. As well as 
supporting the Consumer Goods Forum’s ambition for 
zero net deforestation by 2020, we made our own ‘no 
deforestation’ commitment in 2010, stating that none of 
our products will be associated with deforestation by 
2020. Covering all the raw materials we use in our foods 
and beverages, as well as our packaging, this commitment 
was the first of its kind by a food company. 
Protecting natural capital 
Preserving habitats and enhancing biodiversity 
As the source of many of our raw materials, our 
long-term success depends on maintaining the 
health of natural capital, particularly land, soil, 
trees and water. 
We seek to act as a responsible steward of natural 
resources, particularly in terms of water preservation, 
working to eradicate deforestation from our supply 
chain, and improving soil management and 
biodiversity conservation.
Our commitment:  
Preserve natural capital, including forests.
We proactively tackle deforestation through the 
responsible sourcing of our palm oil, soya, and pulp and 
paper. We can improve the sustainability of our raw 
materials by tracing them back to their origin, 
understanding the challenges farmers face and 
supporting them where needed. We apply our 
Responsible Sourcing Guideline (RSG) to these three key 
commodities, as well as meat, dairy, cocoa and coffee, 
to eliminate deforestation at the earliest opportunity. 
The RSG incorporates performance requirements 
covering water and soil management, maintaining and 
enhancing biodiversity (particularly in areas of high 
conservation value) and the elimination of deforestation.
Nestlé Waters reforestation programme in Mexico
Taking into account the local deforestation challenge, 
Nestlé Waters Mexico and CONAFOR (Mexico’s 
National Forestry Commission) agreed, in June 2017, 
to invest USD 1 million (CHF 984 160) in a protected 
natural reserve in Izta-Popo National Park over the 
next five years. The agreement conserves forest areas 
around the Iztaccíhuatl volcano, where Santa María 
pure spring water originates, to prevent topsoil run-off, 
decrease soil erosion and develop biodiversity. 
This agreement represents the continuation of past 
reforestation initiatives by the Santa María factory, and 
is achieved in collaboration with local communities.
Verifying our progress via satellite
To measure our progress towards our ‘zero 
deforestation’ ambition, we are piloting the use of 
satellite technology developed by Airbus. Made 
available through a unique partnership with The Forest 
Trust and radar specialists SarVision, the Starling 
service provides high-resolution satellite and radar 
images. These show what is happening in parts of our 
palm oil supply chain, helping us identify where 
deforestation is occurring and understand if it is linked 
to our activities. Having been one of the early adopters 
to trial the system, we will look to extend the pilot to 
cover parts of our pulp and paper supply chain in 2018. 
By 2020: 70% of the volume of our 12 priority categories of raw 
materials has been assessed against our Responsible Sourcing 
Guideline (RSG) requirements and is compliant, or improvement 
plans to preserve natural capital are ongoing.
 In progress
Our results:
57% of the volume of our 12 priority categories of raw materials are 
Responsibly Sourced.
Progress against our objectives
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
97
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Collaborative action 
Managing agrobiodiversity proactively and successively 
can bring real benefits, at both a regional and global level. 
For several categories of raw material, we take a hands-on 
approach, assessing impacts and influencing behaviours 
on the ground. 
Particularly in locations of high conservational value, we 
help farmers review their practices and develop action 
plans to: 
•	 Manage crop diversity through rotation 
and agroforestry; 
•	 Adopt sustainable soil management and 
conservation practices; 
•	 Promote mixed farming systems, such as crops 
and livestock; 
•	 Enhance diversity by providing habitats for sensitive 
animal, plant and tree species; 
•	 Manage landscape diversity by conserving ecological 
corridors; and
•	 Restore areas of grassland through our 
silvopastoral programmes. 
For example, for dairy farmers, we use Response-
Inducing Sustainability Evaluation (RISE) studies to assess 
their sustainability. The RISE tool uses a number of 
indicators to identify strengths and weaknesses, including 
economic viability, quality of life and natural resources 
such as water, soil and biodiversity. We also help our 
suppliers to improve biodiversity through the planting of 
different species of tree, hedge and shrub. 
To widen our impact and reach, we participate on several 
environmental protection, management and restoration 
initiatives that help businesses assess, measure and 
place a value on their dependencies, understand their 
impacts and identify appropriate action. These include 
our efforts as a member of the Cambridge Natural Capital 
Leaders Program. 
Nestlé and Nespresso also helped the Natural Capital 
Coalition test its Natural Capital Protocol, a global 
multi-stakeholder programme that helps organisations 
to understand and value their impacts and dependencies 
on nature.
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
98
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Reporting and governance
Our governance systems and approach to business 
ethics are fundamental to our business. We also have 
comprehensive reporting processes from materiality to 
assurance. These are outlined below and made publicly 
available through the following links. 
Business ethics and 
transparency
Upholding ethical principles is 
fundamental to our business, 
providing the consumer trust 
that forms our licence to operate. 
This includes our zero tolerance 
of fraud, bribery and corruption, 
our efforts to ensure data privacy 
and our approach to public policy 
and tax. 
	 Read more about business 
ethics and transparency
	 Read more about taxation
We want to be the trusted leader 
in our sector. Building our 
business on clear principles and 
sound governance helps us 
maintain trust in the Nestlé brand 
and reduce risk throughout our 
value chain.
	 Learn more about our 
governance structures and 
policy making
People expect our foods and 
beverages to be safe and of the 
highest quality. Safety and 
quality are at the foundation 
of our company and are 
embedded in our corporate 
purpose and values. 
	 See how we are embedding 
quality throughout our 
business
	 Learn more about 
our reporting
We summarise the scope, 
boundaries and assumptions of 
this report, as well as the data 
methodologies and reporting 
frameworks we adhere to.
	 See how we have performed 
in leading assessments
We are proud when our 
sustainability efforts and 
achievements are acknowledged 
by world-leading ratings and 
rankings agencies, and we are 
open to working with their 
suggestions to support 
continuous improvement. 
	 Read the summary 
assurance statement and the 
full assurance statement
An independent, third-party 
organisation, Bureau Veritas, 
provides independent assurance 
to Nestlé’s stakeholders over the 
relevance, accuracy, reliability 
and objectivity of the information 
contained in this report. 
Accountable and 
inclusive governance
About this report
Product safety 
and quality
Assurance statement
	 Read more about our 
material issues
To ensure we focus on the issues 
that have the most impact on the 
economy, society and 
environment, and that most 
influence the decision-making of 
our stakeholders, we conduct a 
formal materiality analysis every 
two years.
	 See how we are working 
with stakeholders to tackle 
important issues together
We seek the advice of the best 
experts and advocates to 
develop and improve our 
corporate policies and 
commitments, strengthen 
our business and target our 
societal investments.
	 See our 2017 performance 
in more detail
	 See our GRI Index for further 
detail on our 2017 CSV 
performance data
	 Read more about materiality 
and the SDGs 
Our key performance indicators 
(KPIs) help us measure and 
report Creating Shared Value, 
sustainability and compliance, 
and provide transparency for 
our stakeholders. 
Responding to 
stakeholders
Key performance 
indicators
The materiality 
process
External recognition
99
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Compliance 
To ensure that the structure and processes of our 
corporate compliance programme are robust and are 
being implemented effectively, they are overseen by our 
Group-level Compliance Committee, as well as local 
committees in each market. We request all our suppliers 
respect and comply with our ethical standards and codes, 
and to report any instances of non-compliance through 
our internal and external grievance mechanism: the Nestlé 
Integrity Reporting System and ‘Tell us’ system. 
Anti-corruption
Bribery and corruption negatively impact on both 
company performance and external perceptions. Nestlé 
does not tolerate deception, bribery, breach of confidence 
or abuse of power of any kind, and we have made a public 
commitment to ensure a culture of integrity is maintained 
across the organisation. 
However, we recognise that these activities can and 
occasionally do arise in some markets. We therefore 
aim to ensure that our policies and standards for 
combating bribery and corruption are clear, apply to 
all employees and suppliers, and are widely 
communicated and understood. 
We set out our position on these issues in our Code of 
Business Conduct. In 2017, all markets reached a mature 
level in key compliance practices and categories defined, 
including the reinforcement of combating bribery and 
corruption. More than 125 000 employees to date have 
now received Code of Business Conduct training. 
Privacy
Nestlé operates in an increasingly data-driven economy, 
where more personal information is processed to engage 
with consumers and deliver ever-more personalised 
experiences. Our stakeholders also have greater 
expectations about how we handle personal data.
However, this is taking place against the backdrop of a 
changing regulatory landscape. Our European markets 
have been making progress towards compliance with the 
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance 
which will come into force next year. We are also seeing 
more countries adopting stricter data protection laws, 
including Russia, China, Malaysia and Morocco.
Business ethics and transparency
Upholding ethical principles in our business and throughout 
our value chain is fundamental to the way we operate, and 
underpins consumer trust and our licence to operate. This 
includes our zero tolerance of fraud, bribery and corruption, our 
stringent efforts to ensure data privacy and our public policies. 
We have also updated our Privacy Programme, ensuring 
that we have a standardised approach to data handling 
across the Nestlé Group that reflects these changing 
regulations and external expectations. Key elements of 
the programme include:
•	 Our revised Privacy Policy, updated to reflect the new 
digital reality; 
•	 A new Privacy Standard, which covers the life-cycle 
of personal data processing and reinforces our data 
protection principles globally; and 
•	 A more robust data protection champion network. 
To keep abreast of data protection developments and 
issues, we also participate in a number of multi-
stakeholder groups. This helps us attempt to promote 
better data privacy and security, which is invaluable for 
our business.
Public policy and advocacy
Companies play an increasingly active role in society, 
and are often consulted when policies and regulations 
are being developed. Providing our expertise to inform 
decision-making, in collaboration with governments, 
authorities and other relevant bodies, is an important 
responsibility, so we have procedures to ensure 
engagement is conducted professionally and transparently. 
With our purpose to enhance quality of life and contribute 
to a healthier future, we have an opportunity to step up 
engagement and take a leadership role – through 
advocacy – on topics that are both material to Nestlé and 
key to society. In 2017, we updated the Nestlé Policy on 
Transparent Interactions with Public Authorities accordingly.
Our policies, documents and reports are publicly available 
online, as are our positions on key issues (see Ask Nestlé).
	 Read more about business ethics and transparency
100
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Nestlé Group Tax Management Principles and 
Foundations of Group Tax Strategy
Over the last years, we have developed 10 Principles of 
Tax Management and five Foundations of our long-term 
Group Tax Strategy. They are based on the recognition 
that tax is an integral element of our overall corporate 
social responsibility, as well as on the fundamental 
objective of tax compliance and of legitimate and 
responsible planning. Those Principles and Foundations 
are in line with the Nestlé Corporate Business Principles 
and are cascaded down to, and monitored across, our Tax 
Organisation, both at Group and market levels.
Effective Tax Rate and Tax Payments
In 2017, the Nestlé Group incurred CHF 2.779 billion in 
corporate taxes worldwide on our group consolidated 
profit. This corresponds to a 29.3% effective tax rate on 
our worldwide profits. By comparison in 2016, Nestlé had 
a 35.2% effective tax rate worldwide, while incurring an 
amount of CHF 4.413 billion in corporate taxes. The 
decrease of the effective tax rate is mainly driven by the 
US tax reform and the revaluation of deferred tax 
liabilities. This is a non-cash item. Excluding exceptional 
items, the underlying effective tax rate in 2017 is in line 
with our tax rate in 2016 and previous years.
Nestlé also pays and collects for governments various taxes 
through its transactions with suppliers and customers, as 
well through our own operations across 197 countries. 
After the closing of the year, we run a Group Tax Report on 
the Total Taxes that we bear and/or collect for 
governments in the main countries where we operate. 
This Report covers all direct and indirect taxes, on profit 
(corporate income tax, withholding taxes, etc.), properties 
(real estate taxes, stamp taxes), employment (social 
security charges, employee’s salary taxes), transactions 
(customs, VAT, GST, consumption taxes, excise taxes) and 
environment (energy taxes, food taxes, green taxes).
Taxation
Taxation has been identified by our stakeholders as a material 
issue for Nestlé. We view the tax we pay as part of both 
compliance (business ethics) and Creating Shared Value in the 
countries where we operate. We believe it is good practice to 
disclose information about our tax management principles and 
key tax indicators and contributions. 
In 2016, Nestlé incurred and collected around 
CHF 15.1 billion of taxes to the governments in its largest 
60 markets. Those markets represent nearly the totality of 
the Group Net Sales. This amount includes CHF 6.8 billion 
that were incurred and borne as costs by Nestlé. In 
addition, Nestlé collected taxes for CHF 8.3 billion. 
If we analyse taxes borne by type, 51% of the 
CHF 6.8 billion was taxes on profit, 29% on employment, 
15% on transactions, 3% on properties and 2% taxes 
on environment.
If we look at the taxes borne by geography, 40% of the 
CHF 6.8 billion was incurred in EMENA, 34% in Americas 
and 26% in AOA. 72% of the CHF 6.8 billion were borne in 
the top 10 countries. 
CHF 8.3 billion of taxes were taxes collected by Nestlé 
through our operations and paid to governments.
When we look at taxes collected, 35% were taxes on 
employment, 35% on profit, 28% on transaction (VAT or 
similar) and 2% on environment.
In terms of geography, 50% of taxes collected were 
incurred in EMENA, 28% in Americas and 22% in AOA. 
79% of the CHF 8.3 billion were collected in the top 
10 countries. 
Finally, we had a Group ‘VAT Throughput’ of 
CHF 20 500 billion, i.e. for the total of all VAT receivable 
(on customers) and VAT payable (to suppliers), as an 
indicator of the volume of VAT (and similar indirect 
consumption based taxes), generated and managed 
by Nestlé worldwide.
101
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

The Nestlé Corporate Business Principles 
We regulate the way we operate using the Nestlé 
Corporate Business Principles, which form the basis of our 
culture, our values and our Creating Shared Value (CSV) 
strategy. Available in dozens of languages, all employees 
must comply with them through the ongoing 
implementation of relevant business codes, policies, 
processes and tools. 
Our Corporate Business Principles are reviewed by our 
Executive Board and aligned with international best 
practice and standards such as the UN Global Compact 
(UNGC) Principles. 
We monitor their application and effectiveness through 
various channels, including our CARE audits, and have a 
formal public commitment to provide employees with 
training on the principles. 
Accountable and inclusive governance
We want to be the trusted leader in our sector. Building our 
business on clear principles and sound governance helps us 
maintain trust in the Nestlé brand and reduce risk throughout 
our value chain.
Our internal governance structure
The Board of Directors, the Chairman, the CEO and our 
Executive Board are responsible for the supervision and 
management of our role in society, and for ensuring 
we achieve our purpose and our ambitions. They are 
supported by a number of internal management bodies 
such as the Nestlé in Society Board, as detailed below.
During 2017, we put in place new leadership committees to 
drive our ambitions and commitments and ensure alignment.
	 Read more about our governance arrangements
External advisory groups
Beyond our internal governance structure, we also take a 
wide, more inclusive approach, with advice from two 
formal external advisory councils: the Nestlé Nutrition 
Council and the CSV Council.
	 Read more about the Nestlé Nutrition Council and 
the CSV Council
Our governance structure
Chairman and CEO 
Executive Board
Board of Directors
Nominations and 
Sustainability 
Committee
Nestlé in Society Board
Chair: M. Schneider
Organiser: E. Simioni
Issues 
Round 
Table
Chairs: 
M. Batato, 
E. Simioni
Organiser: 
Y. Wyss
WHO Code 
Compliance 
Committee
Chair: P. Vogt
Organiser: 
C. Frutiger
Group 
Compliance 
Committee
Chair: D. Frick
Organiser: 
E. Rueda
Individuals 
and Families
Leadership 
Committee
Co-Chairs: P. Bula, 
S. Palzer
Organiser: 
MC. Le Cam
Environmental 
Leadership 
Committee
Co-Chairs: M. Batato, 
S. Palzer
Organiser: D. Pollard
Communities
Leadership 
Committee
Co-Chairs: 
M. Batato, P. Vogt
Organiser: C. Frutiger
Topics covered:
Nutrition and 
health, responsible 
marketing
Topics covered:
Climate change, 
water, plastics, 
stewardship, 
food loss and waste
Topics covered:
Rural development, 
human and labour 
rights, health and 
safety, gender, youth
102
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

In 2017, we updated our Nestlé Quality Policy to align with 
the new Nestlé purpose and values. We created the Nestlé 
Management System (NMS) for Quality & SHE to support 
implementation of our Policy. And to embed quality 
throughout our business, we increase engagement with 
suppliers, employees and consumers.
Our results
96%
of Headquarters, R&D, 
Manufacturing, and NQAC sites 
are certified  against our Nestlé 
Quality Management System 
and/or ISO 9001
 180 million
samples tested 
every year, to ensure 
product quality
97%
of our manufacturing and R&D 
sites are certified against FSSC 
22000/ISO 22000 food 
management standards
Managing supply chain quality 
In an increasingly challenging international food supply 
chain, contaminants from raw materials, packaging and 
processing require action at every stage of our supply 
chain. By conducting research and collaborating with 
suppliers, we are reducing food safety risks. In 2017, 
we rolled out our global Nestlé Food Fraud Prevention 
Programme, built on the pillars of awareness, our 
prevention system and prevention plans.
Consumers increasingly want to know where their foods 
and beverages come from. We established the Nestlé 
Programme on Value Chain Transparency and Product 
Traceability. In 2017, we completed a pilot with retail 
partner (Metro), software providers (fTRACE) and the 
Consumer Goods Forum Task Force on Traceability, 
and in 2018 we will continue to explore new technologies 
to reduce barriers to information sharing.
We continued to expand our supplier development 
activities. For example, we developed an easy-to-
understand hygiene training and tools for farmers in five 
languages, and disseminated them through external 
partners. We also developed an open platform to build 
competence, and increased Nestlé Supplier Days in all 
markets to raise risk awareness.
Engaging employees and consumers
Engagement with our employees is essential. By the 
end of 2016, we had rolled out our Quality Competency 
Development tools to all markets. Our Food Safety 
Network, Issues Round Table meetings and global 
communications enable us to act fast, and we are investing 
in training, so all employees understand our quality mindset. 
We also incorporated our Culture of Quality Survey into our 
company-wide Nestlé and I engagement survey to drive 
quality throughout our business.
Product safety and quality
People rightly expect our foods and beverages to be safe 
and of the highest quality. Safety and quality are at the 
foundation of our company and are embedded in our 
Corporate Business Principles. 
Nestlé Waters enhances 
quality mindset
In 2017, Nestlé Waters has been 
connecting with employees 
around the world to increase 
employee ownership, reaching 
16 000 or 43% of employees 
with its quality message. We 
want employees to connect 
their day-to-day job with what 
consumers value. Using a global toolkit, local teams 
hold awareness sessions that inspire participants to 
make personal commitments and understand the role 
they play in delivering quality. 
Know-how!
“I believe we need to share our knowledge, 
experience and expertise between markets 
and on global level. This means constantly 
communicating inside our community,  
so we can keep learning from each other.”
Olena SHEVELYOVA 
Global Customer Director, Out of Home 
Channel, Nestlé Waters MT
QUALITY MEANS MORE
We want consumers to contact us immediately if they have 
a question or concern, so our brands carry an invitation to 
‘Talk to Nestlé’ with contact details displayed. We are 
introducing traditional and social media channels to enable 
consumers to contact us at any time, and our worldwide 
consumer services ensures we can immediately respond.
In 2017, consumer feedback indicated that over 50% of 
food-related complaints were regarding appearance, taste 
and texture. A 7.7% reduction in these complaints over the 
past year indicates that feedback response initiatives are 
working, but more work is needed.
Meeting the highest quality standards
To continue meeting the highest standards, we 
invested CHF 30 million in our Nestlé Quality 
Assurance Center (NQAC) in Dublin, Ohio, United 
States. This has doubled the size of the centre, 
making it our most sophisticated testing facility in the 
world. As a result, in 2017 we were able to additionally 
perform 4.1 million tests using new advanced 
standards and techniques to ensure product quality.
Fewer incidents
Despite our efforts, mistakes can happen, and our quality 
and safety assurance ensures that product recalls are 
managed rapidly and effectively.
2017 saw a reduction in quality-related incidents versus 
previous years, including those related to foreign bodies, 
which comprise roughly 10% of consumer complaints. 
Incidents related to mislabelling are a key focus of 
attention. We have recalled foods and beverages due to 
labelling errors, for example, in the US with regards to egg 
allergens. In all cases, we analyse the cause and take 
action to prevent reoccurrence. 
We continue to work closely with the Global Food Safety 
Initiative (GFSI) to learn from and share best practice 
across the food industry, and our Vice President for 
Quality Management, Anthony Huggett, sits on its board. 
103
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

What are material issues?
To identify the issues that matter most to our business and 
our stakeholders, and to better support our reporting and 
strategic decision-making, we work with SustainAbility, 
an independent consultancy and think tank specialising in 
corporate sustainability, using a formal materiality 
process. After extensive consultation, environmental, 
social and governance (ESG) issues of concern are 
identified and evaluated to determine associated risks and 
opportunities for Nestlé’s reputation, revenues and costs. 
Nestlé is evolving its reporting from the Global 
Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 Guidelines to the GRI 
Standards. However, we did not undertake a new 
materiality exercise in 2017. We will therefore align 
our definition of materiality with the GRI Standards 
in next year’s report.
The materiality process
To ensure we prioritise the issues that have the most impact on 
the economy, society and environment, and that most influence 
the decision-making of our stakeholders, we conduct a formal 
materiality analysis every two years. We have shared the 
methodology and findings of our latest assessment below. 
The materiality process
In 2016, SustainAbility refreshed the materiality analysis 
through four phases of work: 
•	 Issue identification; 
•	 Assess business impact; 
•	 Assess stakeholder interest; and 
•	 Review and validation. 
The issues identified are then placed on a matrix (see 
below), displaying their position relative to the degree of 
stakeholder interest and potential business impact. 
Together, the results represent the material issues facing 
our business. 
These issues should not be viewed in isolation; they are 
usually interconnected and sometimes improvements 
in one can lead to changes in another.
	 See the definitions of our material issues and how they 
map across our value chain
High
Stakeholder interest
Low
●  For individuals and families     ●  For our communities     ●  For the planet
Major
Significant
Impact on Nestlé
Moderate
Over- and
under-nutrition
Employee safety,
health and wellness
Animal
welfare
Food and
nutrition security
Fair employment and
youth employability
Women’s 
empowerment
Water, sanitation 
and hygiene
Water
stewardship
Responsible sourcing
and traceability
Rural development and
poverty alleviation
Food and
product safety
Responsible 
marketing
and influence
Climate
change 
Natural resource
stewardship 
Human
rights
Business ethics
Resource efficiency, (food) waste 
and circular economy 
Our materiality matrix
104
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Note: In 2018, we will be aligning our materiality process with the GRI Standards.
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Materiality and the Sustainable Development Goals
We welcome the opportunity to continue contributing to the 
global agenda, first through the UN Millennium Development 
Goals (MDGs) and now the SDGs.
  Indicates where Nestlé activities under a material issue have an impact (direct or indirect) on achieving the SDGs. 
Does not indicate scale of Nestlé’s contribution.
Individuals and families
Food & Nutrition Security ●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Over- & Under-Nutrition
●
●
●
●
●
●
Responsible Marketing 
and Influence
●
●
●
●
●
Food & Product safety
●
●
Communities
Animal Welfare
●
●
Rural Development & 
Poverty Alleviation
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Responsible Sourcing 
and Traceability
●
●
●
●
Women’s Empowerment
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Business Ethics
●
●
●
Human Rights
●
●
●
●
●
●
Fair Employment and 
Youth Employability
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Employee Safety, Health 
& Wellness
●
●
●
●
Planet
Water Stewardship
●
●
●
●
Water, Sanitation & 
Hygiene
●
●
●
●
●
●
Natural Resource 
Stewardship
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Climate Change
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Resource Efficiency, 
(Food) Waste & the 
Circular Economy
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
With SustainAbility, we undertook a mapping exercise in 
2016 to show the alignment between our material issues 
and the SDGs. This exercise helps us draw insights into 
where our activities are best placed and most able to 
contribute, both directly and indirectly, towards meeting 
the aims of the goals.
105
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Our annual programme of Nestlé stakeholder convenings is 
hosted and organised by external experts, to ensure we 
receive independent opinions and feedback. These events 
address issues that are specific to our value chain and 
highlight where we can create shared value.
On 30–31 March 2017, 66 representatives from non-
governmental organisations, foundations, government 
agencies, think tanks, academia and the ESG investment 
community participated in our stakeholder convening in 
London. Twelve Nestlé staff attended the full-day session, 
including our Chief Executive Officer, Mark Schneider. 
The convening provided us with an opportunity to share 
progress on our CSV programmes and to introduce our 
newly articulated purpose and ambitions.
Responding to stakeholders
We engage, listen and respond to a wide range of stakeholders 
on a regular basis. Through meaningful engagement, our 
stakeholders have helped us improve and set the priorities for 
our Creating Shared Value strategy. 
Participants made a number of recommendations; the key 
issues raised are outlined below, along with our responses. 
This feedback is also considered when assessing the material 
issues of our business, helping us evolve our approach.
We also hosted a stakeholder dialogue to explore Nestlé’s role 
in contributing to optimal nutrition in the first 1000 days of life 
and industry-leading approaches to promoting breastfeeding 
and responsibly marketing breast-milk substitutes. The 
dialogue was attended by 20 expert stakeholders. 
We furthermore organised stakeholder discussions and 
events on kids nutrition at the IUNS 21st International 
Congress of Nutrition (ICN) in Buenos Aires in October 2017 
and engaged on Water Stewardship at the World Water Week 
in Stockholm in August 2017.
Maintain a long-term focus: Participants noted the 
importance of Nestlé meeting its commitments, for the 
long-term benefit of the business, even in challenging political 
or commercial environments. Participants acknowledged the 
challenge that Nestlé faces to make the business case for 
sustainability in the context of financial markets that are largely 
driven by short-term returns.
We have published our 2030 ambitions for each of our impact 
areas and will report on progress.  
Advocate for joined-up policy: Participants highlighted the 
benefits of regulation to ensure a level playing field and asked 
Nestlé to collaborate with industry peers and advocate for a 
joined-up sustainable food policy. Examples suggested 
included a sugar policy. 
Thought leadership: Our CEO of Europe, Middle East and 
Northern Africa engaged with the European Commission and 
European stakeholders in calling for an EU nutrition policy. In 
February 2017, we shared our sugars reduction journey with 
national government representatives at a high-level meeting 
organised by the EU Presidency. And the CEO of Nestlé UK 
openly called for both voluntary and regulatory instruments to 
be used in the fight against childhood obesity. 
Advocacy: With the European Heart Network, the European 
Public Health Alliance, the European Consumer Organisation 
(BEUC), and leading food and beverage companies, we called 
for the EU to create nutrient profiles for nutrition and health 
claims. We are also calling for a legislative limit for the amount 
of industrially produced trans fatty acids (TFAs) in foods. In 
developing countries, we advocate for the inclusion of 
micronutrient fortification in national nutrition plans and 
participate in a number of multi-stakeholder initiatives. 
Collaboration: With 25 other companies, we co-launched 
Food Reform for Sustainability and Health (FReSH). The 
programme, led by the World Business Council for Sustainable 
Development (WBCSD) and the EAT Foundation, works with 
the business community to accelerate transformational 
change in global food systems.
Sharpen the commitments: There was support for Nestlé’s 
commitments. Participants made some recommendations to 
further strengthen these, including that Nestlé should clarify how 
progress towards its ambitions will be measured and the steps it 
will take to deliver. The urgency of making progress towards the 
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was highlighted.
We recognise the urgent need to meet the SDGs and will aim 
to explain our progress, including methods of measurement, 
through our future reporting. 
We also support the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and 
United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) in developing ways to 
track business contributions to the SDGs.
Recommendations	
Our responses
106
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Describe an integrated vision: Nestlé was asked to provide a 
more joined-up vision for sustainable food that integrates 
nutrition, water, environment and livelihoods. Participants 
highlighted the need to work towards a food system that 
improves natural capital, going beyond the current focus on 
reducing negative impacts (for example, reducing water use).
We recognise the links between these areas and are 
supporting FReSH – see previous page.
We have established workstreams under each impact area to 
address these topics. 
Support consumers to change behaviours: Participants 
highlighted the importance of Nestlé’s research, work with 
major customers, consumer communications and support for 
progressive regulation in changing consumer demand – a 
necessity for improved health and environmental outcomes. 
Participants identified Nestlé marketing capabilities as a key 
lever of change.
We recognise the importance of engaging individuals and 
families. For example, Nestlé Waters North America has joined 
How2Recycle, a US consumer education programme. 
Some of our brands reinforce consumer behaviour, such as the 
Maggi Cooking Lesson Programme in Africa, the Milo sports 
programme and Nespresso’s support for coffee capsule recycling.
	 Read more about our stakeholder engagement activities
Recommendations	
Our responses
107
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

To provide transparency for our stakeholders, we have 
indicated the correlation between our KPIs, our 
commitments and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 
indicators in the table below. 
Our key performance indicators
Nestlé’s key performance indicators (KPIs) provide a focus 
for measuring and reporting Creating Shared Value (CSV), 
sustainability and compliance. The performance summary 
below forms part of our Communication on Progress for the 
United Nations Global Compact. Unless otherwise stated, 
performance indicators are for the calendar year ending 
31 December 2017. 
The references in the GRI column relate to the applicable 
indicator from the 2016 GRI Standards. We report against 
these Standards in line with our material issues, which are 
identified through our stakeholder engagement process 
and shape our public commitments.
Nestlé in society and Creating Shared Value 
key performance indicators
GRI Standards
2017
Page
Economic
Total Group sales (CHF million) (a)
89 791 
AR p3
Net profit (CHF million) (b)
201-1, FP4
7183
AR p39
For individuals and families
Products meeting or exceeding Nestlé Nutritional Foundation profiling 
criteria (as % of total sales) (c)
201-1
82.1
21
Percentage of total sales volume of consumer products which have been 
changed for nutrition and health considerations 
FP6, FP7
8
Products analysed and improved or confirmed via 60/40+ programme 
(sales, CHF million) (d)
416-1
35 086
Products containing Branded Active Benefits (sales, CHF million)
6110
Products featuring Nestlé Nutritional Compass® labelling 
(% of sales worldwide) (e)
417-1
97.3
30
Products with Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA) labelling on front of pack 
(% of sales) (f)
417-1
89.4
15, 30
Products with specific Portion Guidance (sales, CHF million)
417-1
40 100
15, 31
Popularly Positioned Product SKUs
4746
Popularly Positioned Products (sales, CHF million)
12 200
Nestlé television advertising to children under 12 in compliance with 
policies on responsible marketing (%) 
417-3
97.4
35
Contraventions to the Nestlé Policy and Instructions for Implementation of the 
WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (g)
417-3
19
Infant formula marketing staff in higher-risk countries trained on the 
WHO Code (% of staff) (h)
103-2
100
108
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Nestlé in society and Creating Shared Value 
key performance indicators
GRI Standards
2017
Page
For our communities
Farmers trained through capacity-building programmes
203-1
431 000
53
Markets covered by Sustainable Agriculture Initiative at 
Nestlé (SAIN) programmes
203-1
54
Direct procurement markets covered by SAIN programmes (%)
95
Percentage of purchased volume fully compliant with the 
Nestlé Supplier Code (i)
FP1
57
Total number of significant product recalls or incidents of non-compliance
416-2
12
Number of human rights impact assessments completed
103-2
1
Number of employees trained on human rights
412-1
12 796
45, 60
Total workforce (number of employees) (a)
102-8
322 887
112
Total rate of new employee hires (%) (j)
401-1
10.7
Total rate of employee turnover (%) (j)
401-1
13.0
CARE gaps identified related to Business Integrity and HR (k)
102-17
10
Of which:	Minor
102-17
10 (2 closed)
	 	
Major
102-17
0
	 	
Critical
102-17
0
Lost-time injuries and illnesses rate (per million hours worked) (employees, 
on-site contractors and on-site members of public) (l)
403-2
1.66
Total recordable injuries and illnesses rate (per million hours worked) 
(employees, on-site contractors and on-site members of public) (l)
403-2
2.87
Total number of fatalities (employees, on-site contractors and on-site 
members of public) (l)
403-2
2
Average hours of training per year per employee per category (m)
404-1
31.93
65
Leadership positions held by women (%) (j)
405-1
37.5
45, 66
Local Management Committee members native to country 
in developing countries (%) (j)
202-2
78.0
For the planet
Total water withdrawal (million m3)
306-1
74.2
80
Total water withdrawal (m3 per tonne of product)
303-1
2.36
74
Production volume
Total production volume (million tonnes)
102-7
55.6
Materials
Raw materials used (million tonnes)
301-1
24.4
Materials for packaging purposes (million tonnes) 
301-1
4.9
93
Packaging source optimisation (tonnes saved)
301-1
22 558
74, 93
Energy
Total on-site energy consumption (petajoules)
302-1
90.7
Total on-site energy consumption (gigajoules per tonne of product)
302-1
1.63
Total on-site energy consumption from renewable sources (% total)
302-1
19.2
Total direct energy consumption (petajoules)
302-1
62.0
Total direct energy consumption from renewable sources (% total direct)
302-1
11.9
Total indirect energy consumption (petajoules)
302-1
73.3
109
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Nestlé in society and Creating Shared Value 
key performance indicators
GRI Standards
2017
Page
Biodiversity
Total size of manufacturing sites located in protected areas (hectares) 
304-1
18.8
Emissions, effluents and waste
Direct GHG emissions (million tonnes CO2eq)
305-1, 305-2
3.5
88
Direct GHG emissions (kg CO2eq per tonne of product)
305-1, 305-2
64
88
Indirect GHG emissions (million tonnes CO2eq)
305-1, 305-2
3.0
88
Indirect GHG emissions (kg CO2eq per tonne of product)
305-1, 305-2
54
88
Total water discharge (million m3)
306-1
74.2
80
Total water discharge (m3 per tonne of product)
306-1
1.34
Average quality of water discharged (mg COD/l)
306-1
83.8
83
By-products (kg per tonne of product)
306-2
29.9
Waste for disposal (kg per tonne of product)
306-2
1.1
Environmental sustainability governance
Manufacturing sites certified against ISO 14001 
(% of total manufacturing sites)
103-2
97
a)	 Does not include joint ventures.
b)	 Includes Nestlé’s share in net result of joint ventures.
c)	Total Nestlé (F&B except CPW, NHSc, Pharma, Nespresso, CPW and businesses not in GLOBE reporting) excluding non-edible products 
(78.4% in 2016 with comparable baseline).
d)	 In the 60/40+ programme, Nestlé products tested with consumers must be preferred over the competitor’s. Assessment results are valid for a 
maximum of three years if all parameters remain equal.
e)	 PetCare, Gerber Life, Nestlé HealthCare Nutrition, Wyeth Nutrition, other Nestlé Health Science businesses and non-Nestlé branded products in 
Nestlé Waters are out of scope.
f)	 Includes all F&B and Nestlé Waters except plain water. It excludes joint ventures, Nestlé Nutrition, Wyeth Nutrition, Nestlé Health Science and 
specific category/country exemptions. Slight decrease vs. 2016 due to change from manual to automated reporting, with few categories not able to 
update the data accordingly.
g)	 Instances attributed to Nestlé based on internal audits conducted by corporate auditors and external audits conducted by Bureau Veritas. Final 
number of contraventions could change as the findings of some verifications are still being assessed. Our Annual Reports on compliance can be 
accessed on our corporate website.
h)	 We follow the FTSE4Good breast-milk substitute marketing criteria, which classify countries as ‘higher-risk’ if they have mortality rates for 
under-fives of more than 10 per 1000, or more than 2% acute malnutrition among under-fives. All other countries are ‘lower-risk’.
i)	 In 2016, scope extended to include service and indirect materials with target of 50%.
j)	 Covers all Nestlé employees registered in HR system (approximately 82.9% of all employees).
k)	 CARE, our global external audit programme, is conducted by three audit companies and verifies that all employees and sites we own or operate 
comply with local legislation, our Corporate Business Principles and Code of Business Conduct. The audits take place every three years.
l)	 Includes joint ventures.
m)	Training hours are based only on information recorded in the Learning Management System (LMS). The numbers will be higher if manually recorded 
training hours were considered. Training hours per employee covers 100% employees in the system.
110
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

1st 
We were the first breast-milk substitute manufacturer to be included in the 
FTSE4Good Index, and have retained our place for five years. 
2nd 
We were ranked second out of 22 global food and beverage manufacturers in the 
2016 Access to Nutrition Index™ (ATNI).
100
We received the maximum score of 100/100 in both the Water and Climate 
strategy sections of the 2017 Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), and with a 
total score of 89, Nestlé is industry leader in the food products industry. The DJSI is 
a globally recognised independent benchmark that measures the performance of 
the largest 2500 companies. 
We retained our place in CDP’s annual Climate A list in recognition of our actions 
during the last year to cut emissions, mitigate climate risks and develop the 
low-carbon economy.
Nestlé was ranked among Corporate Knights’ 2018 Global 100 Most Sustainable 
Corporations in the World. 
Ranked top scorer within the packaged food industry in Ceres’ Feeding Ourselves 
Thirsty, an analysis comparing the water risk management performance of 
42 global companies.
External recognition
Although we are not driven by awards and recognition, we 
are nonetheless proud to have our sustainability efforts and 
achievements acknowledged in 2017 by world-leading 
ratings and rankings agencies. We are also open to working 
with their suggestions to support continuous improvement. 
111
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Reporting period, scope and boundaries
This report covers Nestlé’s global operations for the year 
ending 31 December 2017. It contains data for wholly 
owned companies and subsidiaries, excluding joint 
ventures and suppliers, unless specifically stated. 
‘Markets’ refer to our business and/or activities at country 
level, while ‘Zone’ refers to management responsibilities 
in a geographic group of markets. These consist of Zone 
Europe, Middle East and North Africa; Zone Americas; 
and Zone Asia, Oceania and sub-Saharan Africa.
This report is focused on the 17 most material issues 
identified by our 2016 materiality process, which reviews 
where financial, operational and reputational impacts are 
felt in our value chain. It also assesses the issues that most 
influence the decision-making of our stakeholders. The 
results have informed the focus, scope and boundaries of 
this report in line with the GRI 2016 Standards materiality 
principle. We will undertake another materiality analysis 
in 2018.
Data scope and methodologies
Our safety and health data covers approximately 
322 887 employees or 91% of employees in our HR 
system, while our environmental data refers to factories 
and warehouses (excluding some recent acquisitions).
Nestlé’s climate change disclosures conform with the 
Climate Disclosure Standards Board (CDSB) framework 
requirements. We also follow the standards of the 
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol to establish our GHG 
inventory, which includes Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. 
We use boundaries based on operational control as this 
better reflects the reality of our operations. We also refer 
to our response to the CDP Investor Information Request, 
which contains comprehensive details of our climate 
change disclosures and performance.
Reporting frameworks 
Global Reporting Initiative
This report has been prepared in accordance with the 
GRI Standards: Comprehensive option of the 2016 
Global Reporting Initiative’s (GRI) Standards, and the Food 
Processing Sector Supplement, and externally assured by 
Bureau Veritas. The GRI is a non-profit organisation that 
promotes economic sustainability and leads in the field of 
non-financial reporting. 
	 See the full GRI Content Index
About this report
Our 2017 Nestlé in society: Creating Shared Value report aims 
to promote communication with, and provide transparent 
reporting to, our shareholders and stakeholders. It shares 
detailed information about our material issues, and our societal 
and environmental impacts. 
UN Global Compact LEAD
We are reporting our progress to support and uphold the 
UN Global Compact principles by submitting each year an 
official Communication on Progress (COP).
UN Guiding Principles Reporting Framework
The UN Guiding Principles Reporting Framework is the 
first comprehensive guidance for companies to report on 
salient human rights issues in line with their responsibility 
to respect human rights. This responsibility is set out in 
the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, 
the authoritative global standard in this field. 
This is the third time we have reported against the 
Framework and is the first time that our human rights 
reporting has been assured against the UN Guiding 
Principles Assurance Framework, launched this year. 
Our Index of Answers, identifying where our responses to 
the framework lie within the report, is available online.
Audience
We have identified and hold regular dialogue with a wide 
range of stakeholders who have an interest in this report. 
They include investors, non-governmental organisations 
(NGOs), think tanks, foundations, organisations, ESG 
services, consumers and suppliers.
Currency conversion
All amounts cited in this report were converted to 
Swiss francs (CHF) using the exchange rates reported 
in the consolidated financial statements of the Nestlé 
Group 2017.
Contact us
We hope you find this report engaging and informative, 
and we continue to welcome your input and views: 
creatingsharedvalue@nestle.com
112
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting

Summary Assurance Statement from Bureau 
Veritas UK Ltd
Bureau Veritas UK Ltd. (Bureau Veritas) has provided 
independent assurance to Nestlé SA (Nestlé) over the 
Nestlé in society: Full report 2017 (‘the CSV Report’) 
published on the Nestlé website (https://www.nestle.
com/csv). The assurance process was conducted in line 
with the requirements of the AA1000 Assurance Standard 
(2008) Type 2 at moderate level of assurance. The scope of 
Bureau Veritas’ work was limited to Nestlé’s head-office-
based activities where Nestlé consolidates and reconciles 
data provided by local markets/countries. The assurance 
was provided over all data and text included in the CSV 
Report and included a review of the CSV report’s 
alignment to GRI standards. It also included a review of 
Nestlé’s UNGP (United Nations Guiding Principles) Index 
on human rights against the ‘Tier 1’ Assurance Indicators 
of the UNGP Reporting Framework.  Bureau Veritas’ full 
assurance statement includes certain exclusions, 
observations of good practices, recommendations for 
improvement, as well as detailed assurance methodology 
and scope of work. 
	 The full assurance statement with Bureau Veritas’ 
independent opinion can be found here
London, March 2018  
Assurance statement
A third-party organisation, Bureau Veritas, was engaged by 
Nestlé to provide independent assurance for the 2017 Nestlé 
in society: Creating Shared Value report. This process aims to 
provide assurance to Nestlé’s stakeholders over the accuracy, 
reliability and objectivity of the reported information and that it 
covers the issues material to the business and its stakeholders. 
113
Nestlé in society Creating Shared Value 2017
Nestlé in society
Individuals and families
Communities
Planet
Our reporting