By IJEOMA UKAZU
At the recently held Sustainability Enterprise and Responsibility, SERAS CSR Awards Africa 2021, Nestle Nigeria clinched the “Best Company in Food Security” category award and another in the “Partnership Award of the Year” for its partnership with IDH and Technoserve towards grain improvement.
Mfonobong Etuk and Chinwe Obi both from Nestlé Nigeria PLC with the Awards.
Making this known in a statement made available to our correspondent, it is worthy of note that it is the second year that Nestlé Nigeria has been recognized as the Best company in Food Security, a significant affirmation for the world’s leading food company.
Nestlé was also nominated in over 7 categories that include Best Company in Circular Economy, Best Company in
Education Intervention, Best Company in Stakeholder Engagement, Best Company in Promotion of Good-Health & Wellbeing, Best Company in Work Place Practice and the CEO of the Year.
Speaking at the award ceremony, the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager for Nestlé Nigeria, Victoria Uwadoka, expressed the company’s delight at being recognised for its efforts in creating shared value across its value chain.
Chinwe Obi from Nestlé Nigeria PLC speaking during the Awards ceremony.
“We are honored to receive these two awards for our efforts in driving food security and also for improving food quality through partnerships. We would like to express our gratitude to our partners who work closely with us to achieve our goals for improving grain quality while enhancing the livelihoods of the farmers within our ecosystem.
“These awards are significant for us in view of the fact that we are Nestlé, the Good Food, Good Life Company, with a purpose of unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come. This purpose drives us to make a positive impact on the lives of people, within our communities and on the environment now, and in the future,” said Uwadoka.
Uwadoka explained further that the Partnership Award of the Year recognised the company’s collaboration with IDH and Technoserve over the past 18 months to help 5,000 farmers within the company’s ecosystem to improve the yield and quality of their grains.
“The Nestlé, IDH and Technoserve Developing Inclusive Grain Value Chains project is building the capacity of farmers and aggregators across the grain value chain through training on proper grain handling, storage, and testing, as well as entrepreneurial and financial skills. In addition, the logistics partners are receiving training on proper handling of grains during transit to ensure the end-to-end integrity of the grains from farmgate to the factory gates.
“For over 12 years, Nestlé Nigeria has been invested in delivering Capacity Development programs aimed at improving food security in Nigeria. In 2019, the company turned its attention
to building the next generation of farmers who will take over from the aging generation whose average age is 47 years according to the data from National Bureau of Statistics (2008). The various initiatives aimed at improving food security are designed and implemented in collaboration with partners including the United States Agency for International Development
USAID, International Fertilizer Development Center, IFDC/2Scale, IDH, Technoserve, and Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, AGRA” she said.
She also noted that the programs are implemented with suppliers within Nestlé’s value chain like Psaltry who is working to integrate youth into the cassava value chain.
Meanwhile, Victoria added that the awards reaffirm Nestlé’s strong commitment to continue making a difference in society in collaboration with relevant partners and stakeholders in line with the SDG 17 – Partnership for Goals.
The SERAS, Africa’s first and foremost recognition for corporate social responsibility and Sustainability, has grown to become the most credible and most glamorous business award in Africa. It has inevitably become the gold-standard award and the most crucial industry ceremony in Africa.
Other winners of the SERAS Awards 2021 include Nigerian Breweries, Coca-Cola, IHS and Zenith.