Nestlé has announced Nespresso will achieve full carbon neutrality by 2022. Its business operations have been carbon neutral since 2017.
For the last decade the company has been working on achieving carbon neutrality within its operations, with the new commitment tackling emissions in its supply chain and product life cycle.
Nespresso CEO Guillaume Le Cunff said: “Climate change is a reality and our future depends on going further and faster on our sustainability commitments. That is why we are accelerating our commitments to offer our consumers a way to drink a carbon neutral cup of coffee by 2022. I truly believe that both our business and the coffee industry can be a force for good in the world by tackling this pressing issue.”
Three initiatives will drive the program:
1. Carbon emission reduction
A crucial element of Nespresso’s vision is to decarbonize its value chain. These immediate initiatives include:
- sustainable energy usage within Nespresso’s operations: driving towards 100 per cent renewable energy in all Nespresso boutiques and increasing the use of biogas within the manufacturing process.
- expanded circularity of Nespresso products and packaging: increasing the use of recycled plastic within Nespresso machines, as well as of recycled and low carbon virgin aluminium within coffee capsules.
2. Planting trees in coffee farms and the surrounding landscapes (insetting)
Trees are the best way to capture carbon from the atmosphere while investing in nature and building a regenerative agricultural system. Planting trees provides the shade needed to improve the quality and quantity of a coffee harvest. The roots also help protect against soil erosion and landslides and promote soil regeneration.
With its partner Pur Projet, Nespresso will triple the capacity of planting trees (with insetting) in coffee producing countries such as Colombia, Guatemala, Ethiopia and Costa Rica.
3. Accelerate to make an immediate positive impact (offsetting initiatives)
Nespresso will also invest in projects to support forest conservation and restoration as well as implement clean energy solutions within farming communities.
This carbon neutral commitment is part of a broader sustainability ambition that will be further communicated later this year: to preserve exceptional coffees, build a resilient and regenerative coffee agriculture system, drive sustainable livelihoods for farmers and build a circular business.
The 2022 carbon neutrality roadmap has been endorsed by the Nespresso Sustainability Advisory Board (NSAB) members.
