Last won in 2012 by Lebanons arcenciel for Wataneh a program improving the sustainability and competitiveness of Lebanese agriculture this years Nestl Creating Shared Value (CSV) Prize has gone to Honey Care Africa, a fair trade honey company working with 35,000 farmers in South Sudan to help them become professional beekeepers.

The Prize, an investment of US$525,000 shared between the winner and runners-up, rewards innovative businesses that create value for their communities by addressing issues of nutrition, water or rural development.

Commenting on its impact, arcenciel CEO Pierre Issa said: Receiving this level of international recognition helped increase Watanehs credibility and reputation over the past two years, benefiting not only our partners in the public sector but also our farmers and volunteers who saw their efforts appreciated. Moreover, the Nestl CSV Prize allowed us to further develop our farmers networks and finance the construction of the first bio pesticide plant in the Middle East for fresh, healthy and environmentally-friendly products.

Honey Care Africas Madison Ayer said he was delighted with the win. "The Creating Shared Value Prize is such a wonderful recognition of the hard work and passion of our team, farmers, and customers in Africa. And what is even more exciting is the opportunity to build a long-term relationship with Nestl, as we leverage our sustainable local supply chain with Nestls global resources and expertise."

The runners-up this were MSABI, a Tanzanian NGO that runs one of the largest rural, water, sanitation and hygiene programs in the country, and Sanergy, a Kenyan social enterprise which collects and transforms human waste into fertilizer or energy.

The Prize was awarded at the companys Creating Shared Value Forum, this year co-organised with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and focused on how to create a new role for industry at the heart of the societies in which it operates.

More on Nestl Creating Shared Value in the Middle East
Creating Shared Value is the Nestl fundamental way of doing business. Nestl believes that for a company to be successful in the long term, it should not only create value for shareholders but also for society at large. Nestl Creating Shared Value focuses on three main areas: nutrition, water and rural development.
Nestl Middle East focuses on nutrition, emphasizing continuous nutrition improvement of its product portfolio according to international recommendations as well as micronutrient fortification to address specific local/regional deficiencies. It also implements nutrition awareness and community initiatives, namely the Nestl Healthy Kids Program launched in Lebanon in 2010, in Dubai in 2012 and in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 2014. The Program aims to raise nutrition, health and wellness awareness among school-age children, and involves interactive educational sessions locally implemented in collaboration with the American University of Beirut under the name Nestl Ajyal Salima.

For more information, please contact:
Lynn Al Khatib
Nestl Middle East
Email: Lynn.AlKhatib@ae.nestle.com

Feda Kassem
ASDAA Burson-Marsteller, Dubai
Tel: +971 4507 600
Email: feda.kassem@bm.com