Nestle livelihood programs for rural communities- CSR

Economic Inclusion, decent work, economic growth, especially for rural communities is at the core of the SOTF and the SDGs.

In 2017 when I was Minister Social Protection Pakistan, a Nestle Pakistan delegation called on me. They brought a proposal to train a small targeted group of my SSN’s beneficiaries to become their rural sales agents, selling their special village targeted products to mostly small farmers. I liked economic inclusion, so I encouraged it. What I didn’t like was how small the scale they proposed would be – 20 beneficiaries! I had a base of 6 million and so for me the number was so small that I almost sent them packing off. They kept insisting that they as a CSR corporate division, would always start small and scale up and that it was a model they were testing. I give them full kudos for their approach today. Today the project is in the 1000s. But most importantly it has created a model which other corporates can easily copy paste. When we discuss  economic inclusion, graduation out of poverty, creating livelihoods, their model strikes me as a practical, low cost, successful model that if replicated for selling any products in the rural community by the rural community would transit millions out of poverty.

I attach a presentation I made on the subject in Paris in 2020 and their website link for all those interested in economic inclusion for rural communities.

https://www.nestle.com/stories/financial-freedom-rural-women-pakistan

http://13.126.176.151/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Nestle-BISP-Rural-Women-Sales-Program-MM-2.pdf

Impact investment in such projects, PPP between governments and corporate CSRs is the way ahead for rural communities. Imagine, a woman who was dependent on a cash handout is now a sales agent. She is earning! She is not educated. She is simply trained to sell consumer products for her communities. It is a true beauty because of its simplicity. It is the present and the future (SOTF). Imagine the reduction in cost of sales for corporates. Using the same communities to sell to for whom the products are being made; contributing to their livelihoods. I can only hope that this creates a domino effect and CSR is carried out cost effectively and thus sustainably.