The Global Alliance for YOUth, a business alliance created and co-founded by Nestlé, is celebrating this year its first decade of helping young people enhance their employability and find job opportunities. In the past 10 years, 25 international company members have provided over 40 million professional development opportunities for people all over the world aged 18 to 30 years old.
Established first in Europe during a challenging economic environment, the Alliance for YOUth was the first private sector movement dedicated to helping young people acquire the necessary skills to thrive in the world of work. Its ambition was to create more than 100,000 job opportunities in the region. In 2019, the Alliance was expanded globally to become the Global Alliance for YOUth. Since then, it has made significant strides in its mission to:
- Create development opportunities: Member companies have collectively created over 40 million development opportunities for youth globally. Beneficiaries have been able to kickstart their careers with their first jobs, acquire essential skills to enhance their employability and receive support to start or grow their own businesses.
- Support vulnerable youth: The Alliance collaborated with Junior Achievement Europe to address the needs of underserved communities, including refugees and marginalized youth in Germany and Poland.
- Empower young change-makers: In collaboration with the Global Shapers Community and Accenture, the Alliance launched an annual Innovation Prize, aimed at empowering young innovators to tackle pressing social and environmental challenges.
- Promote essential digital skills: The Code4YOUth hackathon was launched in collaboration with HCL Tech, Microsoft and Publicis Group to promote digital inclusion, foster creativity and support young people in developing essential digital skills. The seven finalists, out of 5000 candidates, had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a panel of industry experts, with the potential for their solutions to make a lasting impact on communities worldwide.
- Expand member companies’ own contributions: Nestlé alone has connected 7.7 million young people to jobs, traineeships and apprenticeships as well as training opportunities since 2017. In 2023, it facilitated almost 24,000 job placements and close to 11,000 apprenticeships for individuals under 30, with a focus on developing agripreneurs.
Laurent Freixe, Nestlé CEO and founder and Chairperson of the Global Alliance for YOUth commented: “With rapid technological advancements, including AI, the nature of work is undergoing significant changes. Today, our mission is more relevant than ever. By promoting dual education, digital inclusion, and continuous soft skills development, we prepare the younger generation for the professional world. Young people, often digital natives, are uniquely positioned to adapt to these changes and, when empowered, can drive profound and lasting societal change, while deepening the talent pool of member companies.”
Irina Berestova, a Ukrainian beneficiary from the JA Europe HONOUR Project said: “The HONOUR project provided me with a roadmap and tools to contribute to my ongoing integration into the German labour market. The project’s workshops and the support received have been instrumental in positioning me for future success. I am grateful for this amazing opportunity and would like to express my sincere gratitude for the support given to me and other displaced young people.”
Salvatore Nigro, CEO JA Europe, added: “The impact we are creating together is truly global, and by focusing on empowering underserved youth to succeed we build a more inclusive future for all. At JA Europe we celebrate the concrete action and commitment by the members of the Global Alliance for YOUth, and we look forward to the next decade of collaboration for the benefit of the young generation.”
The Global Alliance for YOUth invites other companies to collaborate in addressing youth unemployment. This business-driven Alliance aims to equip young people with the skills necessary to thrive in the modern workforce. Its member companies include L’Oreal, Microsoft, Publicis Groupe, Meta, Cargill, DSM-Firmenich, NielsenIQ, Salesforce, Starbucks, Engie, EY, Willis Towers Watson, HCL Tech, Idemia, The Adecco Group, Sodexo, Zurich Group, SAP, BT, Accenture, White & Case, Buhler Group, Rockwell Automation, ISS and Nestlé.
The Global Alliance is proud to collaborate with ILO, the World Bank, the Global Apprenticeship Network (GAN), the Global Shapers at WEF, Junior Achievement Europe and UNESCO, to help young people find a job, thrive in the workplace, or start a business.
About JA Europe
JA Europe is the largest and leading organisation in Europe dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed. For over 100 years, JA Worldwide has delivered hands-on, experiential learning in entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial health. In the last school year, the JA Europe network in over 40 countries provided 6 million learning experiences for youth in online, in person and blended formats with the support of nearly 110,000 teachers and almost 90,000 business volunteers. In 2024, JA Worldwide was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, the third nomination in three years.
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Minna Melleri, Chief of Advocacy and Growth: minna@jaeurope.org
