LAGOS – Nestlé Nigeria Plc has reiterated its commitment to working closely with the media to promote informed public dialogue on nutrition, health, and environmental issues, stressing that collaboration between the private sector and the press is vital in building a healthier and more resilient society.
This was the key message from the company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, during the closing ceremony of the “8th Nestlé Advancing Nutrition, Health, and Environmental Awareness Through the Media Programme”, recently held at the Lagos Business School in partnership with the LBS Sustainability Centre.
The annual initiative, which began in 2018, has grown from a simple training platform into a dynamic hub for exchange, reflection, and mutual growth between journalists and Nestlé Nigeria.
Over the past eight years, the programme has trained hundreds of media professionals drawn from diverse outlets, equipping them with the tools to report accurately and contextually on issues that directly affect the public’s wellbeing.
“When we started this journey in 2018, our vision was clear: to work together with the media to promote informed public dialogue around the interconnected issues of nutrition, health, and the environment. Today, that vision is even more urgent, and more possible, because of the partnerships we’ve built with you,” Mr. Wassim Elhussseini, MD/CEO of Nestle Nigeria told the participants.
He emphasised five key aspirations that will guide Nestlé Nigeria’s future collaboration with the press, and they cut across collaboration, data-driven narrative, context, journalists’ collective voice and shared progress.
Explanatorily put, the Managing Director, noted that the challenges of food insecurity, climate change, and preventable diseases cannot be addressed in isolation.
He stressed the importance of cross-sector partnerships, highlighting that “we are not opposites, we are partners.”
Speaking from the perspective of the prevailing era of misinformation, he urged journalists to harness accurate, contextual data to shape public understanding, particularly on critical issues like malnutrition, environmental degradation, and public health.
In a similar vein, he noted that context is everything as he spoke on Statistics, and said it makes meaning clearer when connected to human stories, and added that by linking numbers to lived experiences, journalists can drive empathy and inspire action.
On the collective voice of Journalists, he said “Your voice is a force, especially when it challenges”.
The Managing Director encouraged the press to hold Nestlé and similar institutions accountable, stating that the company welcomes scrutiny and believes in transparency and constructive criticism.
Also in a similar vein, he said, “Progress is shared, or it isn’t progress at all”.
He reaffirmed Nestlé’s commitment to “Creating Shared Value,” insisting that true change only happens when knowledge is shared broadly and equitably.
Elhussseini, commended the participating journalists for their active engagement, critical thinking, and willingness to question, learn, and share insights during the training sessions.
He also extended appreciation to the Lagos Business School Sustainability Centre, guest speakers, facilitators, and the program team for their roles in making the 2024 edition a success.
He threw insight to the program, explaining that it is part of Nestlé Nigeria’s broader sustainability agenda, which aims to ensure that business growth is directly tied to societal progress.
He added that by equipping journalists with the skills and knowledge to report on nutrition, health, and environmental issues, the company believes it is fostering an informed citizenry and empowering the media to influence positive change.
“As you return to your organisations, I hope you will carry forward the momentum of the last few days. Keep asking questions. Keep building networks. Keep connecting the dots between what we eat, how we live, and the environment we depend on,” he concluded, pledging that Nestlé’s “doors remain open” for continued engagement.
