Nespresso commits £330m to sustainability scheme

Nestlé-owned coffee brand Nespresso has announced it wants to invest CHF500 million (£330m) over the next six years into a programme to create “significant benefits for the business, society and the environment” and become carbon neutral.

The programme, named the Positive Cup, would help boost the company’s green credentials and set up a Sustainable Development Fund, to fund sustainability projects.

The main areas where the firm plans to act are coffee and aluminium sourcing, social welfare and resilience to climate change.

Measures include sourcing 100% of its permanent range of Grand Cru coffees sustainably, strengthening cooperation with Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade to improve farmer welfare and source aluminium for its Nespresso capsules, while also recycling these after use.

Nespresso also made promises on climate action, pledging to reduce its carbon footprint by 10% and become carbon neutral by 2020.

Jean-Marc Duvoisin, CEO of Nestlé Nespresso, said, “Today, we set our ambition of providing the highest quality and most sustainable portioned coffee worldwide.

“Our sustainability approach has always been designed to do more than simply minimise impacts. The development of even more innovative programs with our partners further demonstrates our commitment to creating shared value and generating positive impacts for all stakeholders across the entire value chain. This CHF500 million investment significantly builds on our current sustainability investment to ensure the long-term success of our business model.”

The food sector is slowly starting to acknowledge the need to address climate risks, not only for the sake of the planet but also for their own interests.

Following claims by charity Oxfam that the ten biggest food firms emit more greenhouse gases than the whole of Scandinavia, multinationals General Mills and Kellogg’s have unveiled sustainability and climate targets.

Photo: Andreas Lindmark via flickr

Further reading:

Food and Drink Federation announce impressive line-up for Sustainability Convention

Nestlé agrees to pay employees and contractors living wage

Oxfam: 10 biggest food firms pollute more than Scandinavia

Kellogg’s commits to sustainability targets

The Guide to Sustainable Spending 2013