In a move that will provide young Europeans increased access to jobs and training opportunities, Nestlé and the Alliance for YOUth have joined the European Pact for Youth as founding members.
Seven million people in Europe under the age of 25 are still inactive - neither in employment, education or training.
The European Pact for Youth, created by European CSR business network CSR Europe and the European Commission, aims to work together with businesses, youth organisations, education providers and other stakeholders to reduce skills gaps and increase youth employability.
As part of the Pact, the Alliance for YOUth will focus on setting up ‘dual learning’ schemes across Europe, combining formal education with apprenticeships and on-the-job training to help match skills with jobs on the market.
The Alliance for YOUth is a group of almost 200 companies mobilised by Nestlé to help young people in Europe find work. It has pledged to create 100,000 employability opportunities by 2017 and has already met half of this target in its first year.
Luis Cantarell, Executive Vice President for Nestlé and co-initiator of the European Pact for YOUth, said: “Promoting a cultural shift to dual learning schemes based on business-education collaboration is at the heart of Nestlé’s youth employment initiative since its start in 2013.
"The European Pact for Youth will help to build a skilled workforce and will tackle youth unemployment.”