Nestlé and IFRC sign a new partnership renewing their collaboration until 2013

Nestlé and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) today renewed their collaboration for the next three years, with a special focus on building more resilient rural communities in Côte d’Ivoire.

Nestlé Chairman Peter Brabeck-Letmathe and Secretary General of the IFRC Bekele Geleta, jointly signed the third partnership agreement at the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, Switzerland.

Under this agreement, Nestlé will contribute CHF 2.25 million over three years focusing on projects related to water and sanitation, food security and to support the IFRC’s World Disasters Report. This commitment is part of Nestlé’s activities in relation to Creating Shared Value.

Mr Brabeck-Letmathe praised the renewal of the alliance which also encourages Nestlé business units worldwide and Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies to establish relationships.

He said: “I am proud to be able to sign the third partnership between Nestlé and the IFRC. The partnership has been very successful and has made a big difference for thousands of beneficiaries in dire need.

“This partnership is also demonstrative of our Creating Shared Value vision. This is Nestlé’s way of doing business that focuses on specific areas of its core business activities, namely water, nutrition, and rural development, where value is created both for society and the Company.”

Bekele Geleta, Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said: “Nestlé is IFRC’s longest-standing corporate partner since 2002. Together we understand that healthy communities are key to sustainable development. Our work in Côte d’Ivoire ensures that best practices in development are applied where Nestlé and IFRC are working together to provide vulnerable communities with access to life-saving water and sanitation.”

He added: “We will continue to develop this partnership. We will tackle food insecurity, explore employee engagement, connect Nestlé business units around the world with our unrivalled network of 186 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and look at ways of collaborating in response to natural disasters.”

Through water and sanitation programmes, the extended partnership aims to improve health and hygiene among schoolchildren, teachers and communities in Côte d’Ivoire, by rehabilitating infrastructure providing access to clean drinking water and sanitation, as well as through training and community outreach programmes.

In the area of food security, the collaboration will target the development of tools and needs-based technical support, benefiting from Nestlé’s expertise. By joining forces on food security Nestlé and the IFRC will collaborate in internal workshops but also enhance external advocacy on food security issues.

In addition, the partnership includes the sponsorship and support of the production of the IFRC’s annual World Disasters Report.

The Nestlé and IFRC collaboration was formally established in 2002, when a first partnership agreement was signed. Nestlé was founding corporate sponsor of the Africa Health Initiative (ARCHI) with its main focus on HIV/AIDS prevention programmes.

In 2006, when the partnership was extended for another four years, Nestlé supported projects related to the International Federation’s Global Water and Sanitation Initiative (GWSI).