Nestlé Brazil journey to be an inclusion example of deaf and hearing-impaired people

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Nestlé invests in communication and customer services accessibility, having a full accessible factory with more than 90 hearing-impaired workers. The company recently launched a product innovation and marketing campaign to support with LIBRAS (Brazilian Sign Language) local awareness and provides LIBRAS trainings to its employees.

Nestlé is present in 99% of Brazilian homes and understands its great responsibility to promote diversity and inclusion and to be a mirror of a diverse and plural Brazil. According to data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), more than 2.7 million Brazilian citizens have profound deafness. Among the employees with disabilities who work at Nestlé, 35% (325 employees) have hearing loss. This section of the population is now included in Nestlé’s communications, services, websites and onboarding system, which has adapted its channels and interfaces to promote accessibility for deaf people, through resources such as video assistance in LIBRAS, subtitles and audio description.

One important step is the new option for Nestlé Customer Service to provide service via video in LIBRAS. Accessibility is also available for the Specialized Employee Support Program (PEAC), a channel where employees and their families can consult with specialized professionals on emotional, social, legal and financial issues. Accessibility has also been incorporated into the channel for informing employees about their benefits at the company, such as medical and dental plans, for example.

Nestlé has a team of deaf employees who have first-hand access to new services and accessible communication materials for approval and also works alongside specialised organisations. These initiatives are in addition to several others that the company has carried out. At the Garoto factory in Vila Velha (ES), for example, there are more than 90 deaf employees. The unit has a translator on its internal team and a partnership with a translation company, there are also provided trainings, internal communications adapted with sign language and awareness campaigns for other employees and leaders to learn sign language and be able to communicate better.

In August 2022, the new edition of the Passatempo milk cookie with the complete alphabet in LIBRAS hits supermarket shelves. In addition, games and activities about the Brazilian Sign Language have been made available on the Passatempo website.