Nestlé Philippines Sales Sets New Guinness World Record

The sales force of Nestlé Philippines, Inc. set a new Guinness World Record by conducting the largest carpentry lesson, and in the process building 100 tables and 200 benches within 100 minutes for the benefit of Gawad Kalinga (GK) families. Guinness World Records Ltd. made it official by sending Nestlé Philippines the new world record certificate.

Composed of approximately 525, the Nestlé sales force was mobilized into teams of four to five, with each tasked to build a table and two benches, breaking the current Guinness World Record of 250 people in the world’s largest carpentry lesson category. The exercise was monitored by independent observers and safety personnel. The 100th table was completed with 18 minutes to spare.

The carpentry lesson and the building of tables and chairs officially kicked off the Company’s celebration of its 100th year in the country and were part of the team building program of the Sales Kick-Off event last January, organized by the Centennial Kick-Off Committee.

The tables and benches were built with their importance to Filipino family life in mind, the dining table being at the heart of the home where family members gather to share meals and exchange stories for the day. During the turnover ceremony of the tables and chairs, Chairman and CEO John Miller said that “We hope that, with this modest effort, we shall be able to help serve some of the needs of the GK families, especially those who are without tables and chairs.”

John, with National Sales Director Paolo Rodriguez, Corporate Affairs Head Edith de Leon, and Corporate Wellness Head Cora Sager, presented the tables and benches to GK founder Tony Meloto. Also handed over were “good wishes” messages to individual recipient families and 600 dinner plates inscribed with the Nestlé nutrition guide for moderation, variety and balance (MoVaBa) to encourage sound dietary habits, as part of the Company’s long-term advocacy of nutrition, health and wellness.

Nestlé Philippines sponsors GK Villages in Baseco in Manila’s Tondo district and Lipa City in Batangas. Its involvement in Gawad Kalinga is part of its efforts to Create Shared Value (CSV) to help improve lives.


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Nestlé Partners with NGOs on CSV Initiatives

Exploring possible partnerships with NGOs to supplement existing CSV initiatives, Corporate Affairs invited Opportunity International Asia Pacific Regional Director Mark Daniels and APPEND CEO Virginia Juan to serve as resource speakers in the CSV Council Meeting held on May 21. Opportunity International and APPEND are organizations that specialize in helping the poorest of the poor start up their own businesses.


During this meeting, the CSV Council discussed the livelihood program initiatives of the Company as well as possible areas for collaboration with the two NGOs on issues regarding microfinance, micro-insurance, and community enterprise models.

“With this meeting, we have once more started an interesting discussion on possible partnerships with other stakeholders leading to CSV programs, which can have greater impact to society,” said Corporate Affairs Head Edith de Leon. This is in line with the thrust to “forge an era of collaboration” as mentioned by Chairman and CEO John Miller in the CSV Forum Philippines held on April 23.

The meeting was attended by Dave Laurel and Misha Rabat of Corporate Affairs; Menard Dacono, Jessie Dantes, and Bots Velez of ICD; Sunny Yu of Nestlé Professional; Art Baria of Technical; Rene Alvarado of SH&E; Kat Castro of Nestlé Nutrition; Gabby Posadas of CBD; and Aimee Ballesteros of Pulilan HR.

 
SOURCE: Nestle Family Balita (June 15, 2010)

Nestlé Welcomes New Batch of Scholars

Chairman and CEO John Miller and EXECOM Members Gid Manuel, Edith de Leon, Peter Noszek, and Sandra Puno with the new batch of Nestlé scholars

Twenty-three new scholars have joined the roster of qualified employee children enjoying the benefits of the Nestlé Scholarship Program, now on its 14th year.


This brings to 393 the total of Nestlé Scholars today, with the most number coming from MAO (39%), followed by Cabuyao and Cagayan de Oro (22% each), Lipa (12%), and Pulilan (5%). The number of scholarship slots allotted to each site is based on the ratio and proportion of each site’s manpower count according to employee level.

The new scholars from MAO, Cabuyao, Lipa and Pulilan were awarded their Nestlé Scholarship certificates in simple ceremonies held at the Nestlé Center training rooms on June 1, 2010. Chairman and CEO John Miller, assisted by Corporate HR Director Gid Manuel, Finance & Control Director Peter Noszek, Communications Director Sandra Puno, and Corporate Affairs Director Edith de Leon, presented the certificates to the new scholars and their parents.

In his message, Chairman and CEO John Miller underscored how the Nestlé Scholarship Program demonstrates the value that NPI gives to education. “Although you are very young, you have already exhibited the passion for education,” John told the new batch of scholars. “The most important gift you will ever receive is education. As Nestlé scholars, you are role models, the future leaders of the Philippines. Well done to each and everyone of you.”

John also lauded the parents of the scholars. “Congratulations, parents. You are role models as well.”

The event also marked the first time that the Nestlé Scholarship Program awarding ceremony was held at a central location for all Luzonbased work sites. Corporate Learning & Development Head Mitzie Antonio explained, “We decided to have just one awarding for all Luzon-based worksites here at MAO to allow our new scholars and their parents the opportunity to meet our EXECOM.”

CDO held its Nestlé Scholarship Program awarding ceremony on June 26 at the factory. Grade 5 student Hendrich Namoca, son of Pulilan HR Executive Hope Namoca, led the opening prayer where he thanked the Lord “for giving us the best parents who always guide us in everything we do, showing us love and support.”

In her closing prayer, Grade 2 student Angela Paderes, the 7-year old daughter of Cabuyao Factory’s Ethel Paderes, thanked the Lord for the blessing, and urged fellow scholars to “study well to make our parents proud of us.”

Employee-parent representative from Sales Control, Joy Ginez, mother of new scholar Isabelle Beatriz, expressed her gratitude to the Nestlé family for the recognition given to employees’ children through the program. “This is a concrete example of Creating Shared Value. Rest assured that your investment in our scholars is an investment for their future.”

Started in 1996, the Nestlé Scholarship Program recognizes the academically outstanding children of Nestlé employees, in order to inspire and motivate them to continue to excel in their studies. Once awarded, the scholarship is renewable every year, provided the student-scholar maintains an annual Grade Point Average of 85% or its equivalent, with no failing marks or incomplete grade in any subject. The employee-parent of the scholar must likewise be of good standing in the Company, with no records of unexcused absence, violation of the rule on tardiness, and suspension.

Nestlé scholars in grade school and high school get a company assistance of PhP 16,000 annually, while college and vocational scholars receive a yearly assistance of PhP 25,000.

“We welcome the new batch of Nestlé scholars, and wish them all the best as they strive to continue to excel in the school year 2010-2011. We hope that our Nestlé scholars will serve as an inspiration to students out there to value their education and study hard to achieve excellence,” Gid said.

SOURCE: Nestle Family Balita (June 30, 2010)

GMA Inaugurates NBS (with former Chairman and CEO Nandu Nandkishore)

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo formally inaugurated the Nestlé Business Services (NBS) AOA on February 29, 2008 in simple ceremonies held at the NBS offices in Meycauayan, Bulacan. 

NPI Chairman and CEO Nandu Nandkishore and NBS AOA Head Craig Connolly welcomed the President, who was joined by Trade & Industry Secretary Peter Favila, the Swiss Ambassador Peter Sutter, and members of the local government led by Bulacan Governor Joselito Mendoza, Congresswomen Reylina Nicolas and Lorna Silverio, Congressman Pedro Pancho, Meycauayan City Mayor Joan Alarilla, and members of the City Council of Meycauayan City. Key NPI executives joined DNK in welcoming the President, led by Finance & Control Director Peter Noszek, Corporate Affairs Head Bin Antonio, Incoming Corporate Affairs Head Edith de Leon, Head of Legal Belen Caberte, Director of Communications Noy Dy-Liacco, HR Director Gid Manuel, Outgoing SCM Head Robert Vallender, and HR Director for Zone AOA Nigel Isherwood. 

After cutting the ceremonial ribbon, President Arroyo toured the NBS facilities where Craig and NBS Employee Services Head Fritz Adorable briefed her on the professional services to be rendered by the NBS. A new corporate entity of the global Nestlé Group, the NBS will serve as the shared service center for financial and employee service needs of Nestlé companies in Zone AOA (Asia, Oceania and Africa). Countries to be served by NBS include the Philippines, Malaysia/Singapore, Indonesia, Indochina, Australia and New Zealand. The entity’s financial services will include account payables and receivables as well as accounting operations, while its employee services will cover payroll, HR administration, time management and benefits administration. 

Nandu said that the establishment of NBS in the country, which was announced in August 2007, is a concrete expression of the Nestlé Group’s long-term confidence and commitment to support the continued economic growth of the country. He noted that a number of countries had been considered as possible sites for NBS, with the Philippines finally selected because of talent availability and cost efficiency. “This decision recognizes our world-class capabilities in financial and employee services, and will allow us, yet again, to showcase Filipino competence. We are happy that through the NBS, we are able to help spur economic growth in the country,” he said. 

NBS is designed to deliver best-in-class office support at competitive service levels and costs to Nestlé companies in the region. The Nestlé Group has successfully implemented the shared service model in Europe and the Americas, resulting in maximized cost effectiveness, efficiency, and higher quality of financial and employee service transactions. 

“NBS AOA centralizes the financial and employee service requirements of various Nestlé companies in Zone AOA at one location, in the Philippines. We expect this shared service setup not only to deliver cost efficiencies, but to also allow Nestlé companies to

focus more on their core business, which is generating demand,” Craig shared during the briefing with the President.

NBS AOA is located at the same site in Meycauayan where Nestlé Philippines’ North Distribution Center operates as the Company’s largest and most modern distribution center in the country.  “We chose Meycauayan as the NBS site because the area is underdeveloped from a BPO standpoint. This will allow us to recruit local talent, control turnover, and deliver on our commitments,” Craig explained.

He said that financial and employee services transactions are being taken over by NBS progressively, starting with Nestlé Philippines which completed the transition of its financial services by end of 2007,

and its employee services this month. A total transition of all Nestlé companies in-scope in the Zone is expected by end of 2008. 

NBS AOA now has a complement of 200 professionals with finance and HR expertise, with its manpower expected to grow close to 450 by end of 2008, almost all of whom will be Filipinos. “A major reason why we chose the Philippines as the site for the NBS AOA Shared Service

Centre is the availability of local talent, with an impressive number of graduates generated by the Philippine educational system. We view this as a key strength that will allow us to drive success for NBS AOA,” Craig said.

SOURCE: Nestle Family Balita (March 15, 2008)