“We believe that if people like what they’re doing and who they are doing it for, they are capable of extraordinary commitment. So culture is huge in stakeholder engagement and having a good reputation. When companies see their responsibilities as larger than themselves, good things happen.”
— Kim Jeffery, retired chairman and CEO of Nestle Waters North America spoke about “The Importance of Stakeholder Engagement in an Activist World” Wednesday (Nov. 9) at the Penn State Forum Speaker Series at the Nittany Lion Inn.
“If you want to have a good corporate reputation, people have to be willing to say good things about you. Make sure that your actions meet your mission statement's rhetoric.
"Nobody’s perfect, but as leaders we try to display the kind of behavior that inspires people.
“We made a lot more friends by engaging groups, asking for help and being transparent and being serious about doing the right thing.”
“Know your story, you have to be able to articulate what makes you worthy of people’s trust. And finally, I think you have to be prepared … society’s expectations are changing so rapidly.”
Jeffery was the recipient of the Beverage Forum Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, was inducted into the Beverage Industry Hall of Fame in the fall of 2010 and is a member of the International Bottled Water Association Hall of Fame.
The Penn State Forum Speaker Series is open to the public. Tickets are $21 and include a buffet lunch. Tickets may be purchased through the Penn State id+ Office, 20 HUB-Robeson Center. For questions, call 814-865-7590 or email idcard@psu.edu. For more information and a complete list of speakers, visit http://sites.psu.edu/forum/.