Nespresso commits to carbon neutral coffee by 2022

Nespresso CEO Guillaume Le Cunff

Having already achieved carbon neutrality in its business operations (scopes 1 & 2) since 2017, the company’s new commitment will now tackle emissions that occur in its supply chain and product life cycle (scope 3).

“There is no doubt that we are in a climate crisis. And our future depends on all of us doing our bit. Sustainability at Nespresso is far more than a desire to act responsibly, it sits at the core of our business. That is why we are accelerating our sustainability 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 and I hope that our commitment will encourage others to follow,” said Guillaume Le Cunff, CEO of Nespresso.

Nespresso introduces new Ugandan coffee through Reviving Origins programme

3 Jul 2020

Nespresso will achieve carbon neutrality through reduction of carbon emissions, planting trees in and around coffee farms where Nespresso sources its coffee (insetting) and supporting and investing in high-quality offsetting projects.

Carbon emission reduction

A crucial element of Nespresso’s vision is to work on decarbonising its value chain. Immediate initiatives include:

• Sustainable energy usage within the Nespresso value chain - A focus on energy efficiency across Nespresso operations, including a move towards 100% renewable energy in all Nespresso boutiques and increasing the use of biogas within the manufacturing process.

• Increased circularity of Nespresso products and packaging - Strengthening the circularity of Nespresso products by increasing the use of recycled plastic within Nespresso machines and increasing the use of recycled and low carbon virgin aluminium within coffee capsules.

Planting trees in coffee farms and the surrounding landscapes (inserting)

Trees are the best way to sequester carbon from the atmosphere and a means of investing in nature and building a regenerative agricultural system. Planting trees can provide 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.

Accelerating forest conservation and restoration (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 for Nespresso and the communities the business operates within, drive sustainable livelihoods for farmers and build a circular business.

Diageo to open its first carbon-neutral distillery

30 Jun 2020

The 2022 carbon neutrality roadmap has been endorsed by the Nespresso Sustainability Advisory Board (NSAB) members.

“The pressure is on for all businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and Nespresso is clearly showing a strong will to tackle its own carbon emissions via this ambitious and qualitative carbon neutral programme. While we all search for the technical innovations that will reduce carbon, it is urgent that businesses invest as well in the sequestration of their emissions to balance their books as quickly as possible,” said Tristan Lecomte, founder, Pur Projet, member of the Nespresso Sustainability Advisory Board.

David Rennie, head of Nestlé Coffee Brands, commented, "This is a significant milestone for Nespresso. It builds on ten years of expertise and commitment to reduce carbon emissions throughout the coffee supply chain. This is the expertise that we are harnessing across all of our coffee brands to address the carbon neutrality challenge.”