s YOUth Initiative will offer jobs to 10,000 people under the age of 30 and create 10,000 apprentice positions and traineeships by 2016."Today, one in four young people in Europe does not have a job," said Laurent Freixe, Nestlé Executive Vice-President and Zone Director for Europe.
"Think of the impact on our society if these young people are left on the margins, without income, without a future, without hope."
"As we continue to grow and invest in Europe, we want to do all we can to strengthen and develop their skills, and improve their employability, regardless of their level of education," he said.
The initiative, the first of its kind on such a scale, is built upon the company’s continued commitment to investing in Europe throughout the economic crisis, Mr Freixe added.
All the Nestlé teams in Europe will contribute to the initiative.
For example, Nestlé will hire 3,000 young people in France, 2,420 in Germany, 1,250 in Spain and 1,080 in Italy over the three-year period, including both direct recruitment and apprenticeship/traineeships positions.
Nestlé will also encourage its over 63,000 European suppliers to take part in the Nestlé needs YOUth Initiative by offering a job, apprenticeship or traineeship to young people, a programme that will be called Alliance for Youth.
"Nestlé is globally successful also because we are successful in Europe," explained Mr Freixe. "This initiative aims to harness the dynamism of its youth so that they can look, with confidence, to a brighter future."
