VEVEY, Switzerland – Nespresso has become a signatory to the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles as part of the company’s commitment to promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community. The Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs) are a set of Principles offering guidance to business on how to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace and community.
Established by UN Global Compact and UN Women, the WEPs are informed by international labour and human rights standards and grounded in the recognition that businesses have a stake in, and a responsibility for, gender equality and women’s empowerment.
WEPs are a primary vehicle for corporate delivery on gender equality dimensions of the 2030 agenda and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. By joining the WEPs community, our CEO signals Nespresso’s commitment to this agenda at the highest levels of the company and to work collaboratively in multistakeholder networks to foster business practices that empower women.
In announcing Nespresso as a signatory to the WEPs on International Women’s Day, a global day marking a call to action for accelerating women’s equality, Nespresso CEO Guillaume Le Cunff said: “I firmly believe that achieving gender equality and empowering women is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic priority, without which no organization can succeed.
For decades Nespresso has been promoting gender equality all through our value chain. Through the specific Gender Programs of our Nespresso AAA™ Sustainable Quality Program, we have worked with partners to address the underlying causes of inequality in coffee farming, ensuring that empowerment is present from the coffee bean to the cup and beyond. By implementing the Women’s Empowerment Principles, we are not only doing the right thing, but we are also making a smart investment in our company’s future for generations to come”.
The signing of the Principles builds on Nespresso’s existing gender equality initiatives. In 2015, Nespresso’s AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program developed a global gender equality strategy to change the program from within. A first milestone in this journey was the introduction of a gender analysis tool designed to provide the insights to enable action to be taken so that women are given access to the resources they need and are empowered to be part of the decision-making process.
The gender analysis tool is now widely recognized as an example of best practice. It is currently used by many gender practitioners in the agricultural sector and has been cited in numerous publications. Further information about Nespresso’s work on gender equality to date and what benefits empowerment can bring to coffee-growing communities can be found on the Nespresso Gender Equality in Coffee website.
Seven WEPs Principles
- Principle 1: Establish high-level corporate leadership for gender equality
- Principle 2: Treat all women and men fairly at work – respect and support human rights and nondiscrimination
- Principle 3: Ensure the health, safety and well-being of all women and men workers
- Principle 4: Promote education, training and professional development for women
- Principle 5: Implement enterprise development, supply chain and marketing practices that empower women
- Principle 6: Promote equality through community initiatives and advocacy
- Principle 7: Measure and publicly report on progress to achieve gender equality
