30 years of Nestlé Vietnam through the lens of companions

(Dan Tri) - Economic growth and increased surplus value of enterprises are not only a story about profits or financial indicators but are also evaluated through the ability to create common value for both enterprises and society.

Sustainable development is considered a harmonious combination of economic growth, environmental protection and improving the quality of life of the people. Enterprises are only sustainable when they create value that contributes to the sustainability of the community and society. If they ignore this goal, it will be difficult for enterprises to survive in the current context.

During three decades of presence in Vietnam, Nestlé Vietnam has built a pioneering business model providing high-quality nutritional products, sustainable development, inclusiveness and accompanying the country's development.

Bringing Vietnamese coffee beans to the world: Sustainable agriculture - Cooperation to create value

Mr. Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, Director of the PSAV Secretariat, highly appreciated the role of Nestlé Vietnam in the journey of this enterprise accompanying the Government and the community to create a sustainable future with the country.

Mr. Tuan said: "Over the past 30 years, Nestlé has always accompanied the Vietnamese agricultural and environmental sectors. The company has introduced many farming models applying new techniques and sustainable farming in the agricultural sector. Typical examples are the NESCAFÉ Plan program, or programs supporting farmers, contributing to bringing products from Vietnam to markets around the world."

The NESCAFÉ Plan has helped farmers apply sustainable agricultural methods and science and technology to create positive impacts on the lives and livelihoods of coffee farmers as well as on the environment and sustainable development of the Vietnamese coffee industry.

Thanks to participating in the program, many farming households have become familiar with sustainable farming methods, increased productivity and optimized costs, thereby increasing income and improving quality of life.

Mr. Y Phai E Ban, a farmer associated with the NESCAFÉ Plan program, shared: "I have also been associated with coffee for a long time, coffee trees are the main crop in the family. After training, we understand that we should not use herbicides, which affect health and the environment. My family used to mainly use inorganic fertilizers. Later, through the NESCAFÉ Plan training process, we took advantage of straw and coffee husks to supplement micronutrients for coffee trees, limiting the inorganic part...".

Mr. Duong Thanh Sam, a farmer in village 10, Ea Tieu commune, Dak Lak, has participated in the NESCAFÉ Plan program since 2012 and changed his life by switching to coffee cultivation using regenerative agriculture methods.

"Participating in the program, each season I save 20% of fertilizer; 40-50% of irrigation water. In the past, I had 3.5 hectares of coffee, the best year was 3 tons/hectare, some years only 1.5 tons. Therefore, the income from the garden was just enough to cover living expenses. Currently, the garden is about 2 hectares. Each year I harvest more than 6 tons of coffee, 4 tons of pepper, the family has enough conditions to raise 3 children to study", Mr. Duong Thanh Sam shared.

Empowering women, lighting up micro-business dreams

In the journey of sustainable development, it is impossible not to mention the key role of the Vietnam Women's Union. This organization emphasizes that gender equality and women's empowerment are the key to promoting sustainable development and long-term progress of society.

For that reason, the “Sister Nest” program - a meaningful initiative of Nestlé Vietnam - has made an important contribution to the effort to enhance the role and status of rural women, especially in the field of nutrition and household economy. With clear and practical goals, the program not only provides necessary knowledge and skills, but also motivates women to improve their health, increase their income and contribute positively to the sustainable development of the community.

Participating in the program, women are trained in nutrition knowledge, sales skills, financial management, and the use of digital technology to expand business activities and develop household economies.

Ms. Pham Anh Thu, in Trinh Phu commune, Ke Sach district, Soc Trang, is a typical example. From a family with a small grocery store, Ms. Thu boldly joined the Sister Nest model.

Ms. Pham Anh Thu (left), "Ms. Nest" in Soc Trang, shares her journey of starting a business with her grocery store.

"Previously, my family had a small grocery store. Encouraged and advised by the Women's Union staff to join the Sister Nest model, I learned about it and discussed it with my mother. Since joining the Sister Nest program, I have also earned more than 2 million VND per month. Thanks to that, my family's life has become more stable," said Ms. Thu.

For Ms. Thu, participating in these models not only brings better income but also helps her gain more knowledge about finance, nutrition and most importantly, confidence.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Bien - a representative of the Women's Union in Hung Yen also emphasized the role of the "Sister Nest" initiative in creating opportunities to increase income and promote nutritional information to rural areas: "I saw many positive changes after being trained, gaining many new skills in creating opportunities to increase income".

Mr. Khuat Quang Hung, Director of External Relations and Communications, Nestlé Vietnam, emphasized the core philosophy : “Nestlé Vietnam links business development goals with the development and prosperity of the community. During nearly 3 decades of operation in Vietnam, we have continuously made efforts to promote women's empowerment, especially enhancing women's power throughout the value chain. Through the cooperation program with the Vietnam Women's Union, we want to create positive impacts on the lives and status of Vietnamese women.”

Nestlé Vietnam’s 30-year journey is a vivid picture of perseverance, commitment and companionship. It is the story of a business striving to create shared values, contributing to the sustainable development of Vietnam. With the achievements it has achieved, Nestlé Vietnam affirms that it will continue to be a reliable development partner, constantly joining hands for a prosperous and strong Vietnam in the future.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/kinh-doanh/30-nam-nestle-viet-nam-qua-lang-kinh-cua-nhung-nguoi-dong-hanh-20250707184607237.htm