Launch of the Global Alliance for YOUth at the World Economic Forum in Davos to impact 6 million young people by 2022

The Global Alliance for YOUth has announced today its ambition to impact 6 million young people, helping them build employability skills.

The Global Alliance for YOUth is a business-driven movement of like-minded organizations passionate about working together to help young people around the globe get the necessary skills to thrive in the world of work, today and tomorrow.

According to The World Economic Forum, over 60% of children entering primary school today will have jobs that do not exist yet. At the same time, the World Bank estimates that 60% of the world’s population remains excluded from the ever-expanding digital economy. Four billion people around the globe still lack access to the internet.

Traditional education, if available, no longer prepares young people for the current and future world of work. Convinced that companies have a huge opportunity to develop and draw from the largest pool of talent and human capital that has ever been available in human history, 20 international private companies have decided to join their forces in a Global Alliance for YOUth to build a better future for younger generations.

“The Global Alliance for YOUth represents our joint effort to provide youth with the knowledge and skills needed to work in the 21^st century. Our companies are committed to support, develop and advocate for programs that enable young people to successfully transition from education and training to employment, and to develop an entrepreneurial mindset” said Laurent Freixe, Nestlé CEO for Zone Americas.

According to Ajay Banga, CEO of Mastercard, “We need to create the kind of environment where the sparks of curiosity get fanned into full-blown passions and career choices. It’s not something a school, organization or business can do on their own. It’s a collective effort that gives kids permission to explore, experiment and have fun with STEM from the very youngest ages. That’s how we will impact the leaders of tomorrow.”

To date, 20 multinational companies have joined the alliance as founding members: ABB, Adecco, BBVA, Cargill, Cemex, Engie, EY, Facebook, Firmenich, Mercer, Mastercard, Microsoft, Nestlé, Nielsen, Publicis, Rockwell Automation, SAP, Starbucks, Vodafone and White & Case. The Alliance is proud to work with non-private sector partners such as the World Bank, Solutions 4 Youth Employment’.

Nestlé founded the Alliance for YOUth in Europe in 2014 with the purpose of helping prepare young people to enter the professional world. After its successful launch, the alliance was expanded to the Pacific Alliance countries in 2017 (Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru) and the Mercosur countries in December 2018 (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay).