It’s Just a Mission Statement
(or in Nestle’s own words, “ a Code of Ethics”)
Part 2 Million Dollar Baby
Dicky Fox in Jerry Maguire: “The key to this business is personal relationships.”
Indeed. Not only were Nestle Area Sales Manager Elisa Lupena and FDI 2 Operations Manager Mark de Vega screwing each other illicitly but they were also screwing the distributor.
De Vega couldn’t begin to tell top from bottom let alone where his duties to his company started and where his obligations to his FUBU ended.
In a text message sent by Lupena to De Vega, she said: “Baby which one do you like better, me on top or you on top.”
The illicit affair between aggravated the growing financial problems of FDI 2. The distributor, claimed over PhP 11 million from Nestle to cover its increasing debt, unpaid wages, 13th month pay, and separation benefits for around 80 employees who were laid off in Christmastime of 2007. The Swiss multinational ignored the request for help at first then dilly-dallied. It was one black Christmas for the distributor.
By the end of January 2008, Nestle gave FDI 2 owners a call. The check for PhP 11 million was ready for pick up.
What had happened was the wife of de Vega, a respected lawyer, found even more damning evidence of her philandering husband’s activities – a printed copy of an ultrasound test.
The ultrasound showed a fetus. De Vega and Lupena were going to have a baby. De Vega’s Atty. wife sent a letter of complaint to Nestle and they had to act posthaste because they had one huge mess on their hands. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And a legal eagle too!
In her letter January 31, 2008, she wrote:
“This sexual relationship may be personal in nature but the fact of the matter is that it occurred at a time when Ms. Lupena was the Area Sales Manager directly in-charge of the account of FDI which was then being operated by my husband as its Operations Manager/President. The very nature of this relationship strongly indicates that a violation of the conflict of interest clause, under Nestle’s Corporate Business Principles and/or Code of Conduct, may have likely occurred. Given certain documentary and testimonial information I have gathered substantiating the nature and extent of this relationship, it is reasonably easy and logical to conclude that Ms. Lupena may have given accommodations, extended favors and concessions beyond the scope of her authority and functions, as well as made misrepresentations or covered up for the actual state of the sales operations of FDI 2 by virtue of the said relationship.”
Within two days, the check was ready.
They only moved when another aggrieved party spoke out.
Being a huge corporation, they are used to using their battery of liars, er, lawyers to fend off distributors. Usually they bully them.
But against FDI 2, they found a pitbull who wouldn’t let go.
Nestle, in their Code of Conduct states: “Nestle personnel will maintain the highest standards of integrity and professional competence in all business relationships (bullshit we say). Sanctions will be applied in the event of misconduct or abuse of corporate standards (even more bullshit here).”
Incidentally, rumor has it that Lupena is now employed at another milk company located somewhere in Makati that competes with Nestle under the name which abbreviates her given names of Maria Elisa.
Was she given an honorable discharge? If so, in exchange for what ? What the fuck happened here? And why the change of names?
In the movie Jerry Maguire, Marcy Tidwell, played by Regina King, asks Tom Cruise’s Maguire character when they are shown a lousy contract for Rod Tidwell: What do you stand for?”
Let us jump to actress Kelly Preston who plays Maguire’s erstwhile girlfriend who yells at the start of the movie, “Don’t stop fucking me!!!”
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