Nespresso makes big sustainability commitment

Posted: 18 September 2020 | Mandy Parrett (New Food) | No comments yet

Nespresso has pledged that every cup of its coffee, both for at-home and professional customers, will be carbon neutral in two years time.

Having already achieved carbon neutrality in its business operations since 2017, the company’s new commitment will tackle emissions that occur in its supply chain and product lifecycle.

Globally, Nespresso aims to achieve carbon neutrality through the following initiatives: the reduction of carbon emissions; the planting of trees in and around those coffee farms where Nespresso sources its coffee (known as insetting); and through investment in high-quality offsetting projects.

“Climate change is happening now, which means that we must all take responsibility and action, quickly,” said George Clooney, actor, Nespresso Global Brand Ambassador and member of the Nespresso Sustainability Advisory Board. “It’s clear that Nespresso understands this urgency and is putting our planet and people front and centre of the choices it makes.”

A multi-pronged approach to decarbonise

Decarbonising its value chain is a priority for the coffee giant, with immediate initiatives including using 100 percent renewable energy in Nespresso boutiques and more biogas in its manufacturing processes; and increasing its use of recycled plastic in Nespresso machines, as well as recycled and low-carbon virgin aluminium in capsules.

Insetting, in the form of tree planting, effectively captures carbon from the atmosphere and the resulting shade provides the best environment for growing high-yield quality coffee. The company is working alongside agroforestry partner Pur Projet to triple tree-planting capacity in Columbia, Guatemala, Ethiopia and Costa Rica.

Insetting in the form of tree planting is the best way to offset carbon emissions.

“We’ve been proud to support Nespresso in doing this, planting millions of trees across the globe within coffee regions in Colombia, Guatemala and Ethiopia to take carbon dioxide out of the air since 2014.” said Tristan Lecomte, Founder of Pur Projet and member of the Nespresso sustainability advisory board.  “We will continue working together and triple the capacity of the carbon insetting programme and regenerating the ecosystems we all depend upon.”

Finally, by investing in projects to support forest conservation and restoration, and implementing clean energy solutions in farming communities, these offsetting projects are projected to secure their ultimate goal of carbon neutrality.

“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. A coffee, made from the finest and rarest beans, sustainably sourced. 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,” said Guillaume Le Cunff, CEO of Nespresso.

Reducing carbon in the UK

Nespresso is analysing its carbon emissions across the whole of the UK & ROI business, the results of which will guide its current and future investment in green solutions. 

Today, Nespresso’s offices in Gatwick and York are powered by 100% renewable energy, as well as all boutiques where the energy supply is managed by Nespresso. The company has also introduced paperless boutiques and installed meters to better monitor, manage and reduce energy usage. 

The company has also been at the forefront of capsule recycling, recently celebrating the 10th anniversary of its dedicated recycling scheme in the UK.