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Creating Shared Value Comes to 5th CSR Lebanon Forum, with Nestlé

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Beirut, Lebanon

The practice of Creating Shared Value (CSV) has come to the 5th CSR Lebanon Forum, held this year under the theme of “How Sustainability Builds Brand Value,” through the addition of CSV-related presentations, a case study and a booth from official CSV partner Nestlé Middle East.

Originating from a concept developed by Harvard Professor Michael Porter and Harvard Kennedy School of Government Senior Fellow Mark Kramer, who first presented it in a 2006 Harvard Business Review article, CSV is defined as “policies and operating practices that enhance the competitiveness of a company while simultaneously advancing the economic and social conditions in the communities in which it operates.”

The authors add that “shared value is not about social responsibility, philanthropy, or even sustainability, but a new way to achieve economic success. It is not on the margin of what companies do but at the center.”

“CSV is the fundamental way Nestlé does business, and we are very happy to be sharing our practice in the field with the select audience and key stakeholders at the 5th CSR Lebanon Forum,” said Karine Antoniades Turk, Creating Shared Value Manager at Nestlé Middle East.

“Nestlé is best positioned to create shared value in the areas of nutrition, water and rural development,” she added. “We also ensure we provide reporting of our strategy, actions to date, outcomes and commitments in the interest of total transparency and accountability.”

In that spirit, a panel discussion at the Summit features Yasmine Berbir, Nestlé’s General Business Manager in Lebanon, outlining 20 commitments to society in the Middle East, recently published in the first “Nestlé in Society – Creating Shared Value” report. They set specific objectives for the company to fulfill by 2017 or earlier in the areas of Nutrition, Responsible Sourcing, Water, Environmental Sustainability, People, and Compliance.

Among current milestones, the report announces a 71% reduction in absolute waste for disposal, achieved between 2009 and 2014 while production in the region increased by 62%; as well as 42% reduction in water withdrawal and 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per ton of product manufactured over the same period.

Ajyal Salima Case Study

The Summit is also featuring a case study on the Nestlé Healthy Kids Program – Ajyal Salima, presented by the American University of Beirut’s Dr. Carla Habib Mourad, which reflects the impact of collaboration between various entities in the public and private sectors in pushing forward activities that create value for all.

Designed to enhance nutrition awareness and lifestyle habits among 9-11 year-old schoolchildren, Ajyal Salima was first launched in Lebanon in 2010 as a collaborative initiative joining Nestlé, the American University of Beirut, and the Lebanese Ministry of Education. It has since been proven through peer reviewed published evidence* to lead to palpable differences in attitudes towards various dietary habits among students who completed its sessions, compared to those who didn’t.

“It takes concerted collective efforts to truly impact society positively, and we know that our actions in Creating Shared Value would not be the success they are nor sustainable without the support and trust of the various institutions, governments, and other entities we work with in the region – all of whose feedback we always look forward to hearing to help us further improve in the future,” concluded Antoniades.

* References:
1.Habib-Mourad C., Ghandour L.A, Moore H.J, Nabhani-Zeidan M, Adetayo K, Hwalla N, Summerbell C. Promoting Healthy eating and physical activity among school children: findings from the Health-E-PALS, the first pilot intervention from Lebanon. BMC Public Health 2014, 14:940 doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-940

For more information, please contact:

Lynn Al Khatib
Nestlé Middle East
[email protected]

Jean Akouri
Akouri Communications
[email protected]
Tel: +961-(0)3-571579

To learn more about Nestlé Middle East activities, please visit the following pages:

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NestleMe
Flikr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/nestlemena 
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/NestleMiddleEast 
Website: www.nestle-me.com