By Elissa Goldenberg, Manager, BSR; Brooke Avory, Former Manager, BSR

by Paul Grimwood, Chairman & CEO of Nestlé USA

What does it really mean for a company to be a member of the community? Nestlé has been part of communities in the U.S. for more than 100 years, and we’re now proud to be part of 120 hometowns in 47 states. On August 10, thousands of our employees will get hands-on in those communities, leading projects from cleaning up rivers and parks to cooking food at local shelters to gathering school supplies for elementary school students in our neighborhoods.

A 60-something instructor at a major university was working on a project with an undergraduate student. The student complimented the instructor on her proficiency with technology. The student thought he was paying a compliment to the instructor. The instructor was offended because she believed the implication was that her skills were good “for someone her age,” playing into the stereotype that all Baby Boomers struggle with technology. Little did the student know that the instructor serves on the boards of several technology companies and is a former CEO of a tech company.

When kids love to read, you want to make sure they have access to books they’ll love. But recommending the right books is a complex and time consuming process, and even when the best books are identified, many families and schools can’t afford to buy them. Enter Mia Learning, which uses machine learning to match kids with books, strengthening self-directed reading skills while building kids’ personal libraries.