THE world’s most significant climate change conference is coming to Glasgow in November and it is essential young people are at its heart. “Young people can drive the change in this climate crisis, they are the first generation to see the impact of it and the last generation to be able to do anything about it,” explains Robin Sundaram, Responsible Sourcing Manager at global food and drink 
giant Nestlé. “We know that eco-anxiety can affect even young children, and we want to give them a sense of agency, to help them understand they have a voice and can do something about it.” 

It is estimated that food production is responsible for a quarter of all human-induced emissions fuelling climate change and driving the loss of nature. While it is damaging the health of the planet, it is also not supporting the health of the global population. More than two billion people are overweight or obese, nearly 800 million go to bed hungry every night and food-related diseases like diabetes and heart disease are on the rise.

“Fixing the global food system is where Nestlé can start to have an impact,” explains Mr Sundaram. As the world’s largest food manufacturer, we have a role to play in reducing our impact on the environment while helping to feed a growing population and to enhance their quality of life. There is hope. As we head towards the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, a pivotal moment in the fight against climate change, we know we have to shift our approach to fix a broken food system.”

One of Nestlé’s most successful schemes is its Milk Plan, an initiative created as part of its wide-ranging regenerative agriculture programme, working with farmers to implement a range of practices designed to reduce environmental impact. As part of a long-term partnership with First Milk, the company works closely with dairy farmers in Cumbria and Scotland who supply fresh milk for its confectionery and beverage products.

Through its Next Generation of Dairy Leaders programme, six young First Milk dairy farmers have completed a unique two-year leadership pilot programme, which has now been expanded to include 27 participants. During the programme, they visited other members’ farms to share best practice and different techniques; did tours of the Nestlé factories in Dalston and Girvan where their milk is used; took part in upskilling sessions in supply chain and business leadership at Nestlé; and visited Westminster to learn about agri-politics.

The group also studied dairy company sustainability programmes, on-farm lean management techniques, tailoring milk constituents to contract requirements and financial benchmarking. “The Nestlé and First Milk programme created a tight-knit group of like-minded peers who were striving to get the best out of their farm in a sustainable way, and grow the industry as a whole,” explains Mr Sundaram.
“What was very important was keeping the farmers at the centre. We wanted them to understand the commercial challenges we have as a business, but also, focus on their personal development with training and support. One young farmer said the presentation training we provided gave him the confidence to apply for a position on the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB), which he successfully achieved.”

Nestlé has worked on a number of projects with the WildHearts Group, a social enterprise which creates global social change. One of the most significant is the WildHearts Global Youth Summit, the world’s largest, free, youth-led, climate event.
It will run during COP26 in November, giving young people a chance to get involved and focus on ideas to support the UN Global Goals. The summit will provide students, locally and globally, with opportunities to learn, collaborate and innovate through interactive assemblies, lesson plans and workshops.

Nestlé is running two of the live sessions, entitled CEO for the Day and Food Supply Chains. In the former, young people are introduced to some of the big challenges facing the food industry in relation to climate change; and in the latter, the different factors at work in the supply chain are examined with the aim of inspiring young people to think consciously about consumption habits to reduce their environmental footprint.

Mr Sundaram explains: “The aim is to highlight how complex the challenges are. From the news headlines, everything seems black and white, but actions can have unintended consequences, and we want young people to understand the shades of grey. There is a bigger picture too. Climate change, inequalities, animal welfare – everything is tied together and hopefully this will make young people understand the size, scale, challenges and opportunities food businesses face every day.”

The world is changing, points out Mr Sundaram, and young people face challenging times. There is hope, however.  “Youth is key to our regeneration approach – I really like the WildHearts mantra that we have to create the leaders the world really needs,” he says. “You can take the view that business has caused all the problems, and to some extent that is correct, of course, but equally, it can be part 
of the solution.”

This article was brought to you in association with Nestlé