MONTRÉAL, Canada – Sustainable development being at the heart of the company’s values, Nespresso is proud to announce its has been voted the “Most Sustainable Company in the Coffee Processing Industry 2021” by the World Finance Magazine. This important recognition of the past 30 years of work is consistent with the recent publication of final results of The Positive Cup, Nespresso’s seven-year sustainability strategy and series of ambitious goals relating to coffee, climate and aluminium – the infinitely recyclable material that Nespresso capsules are created from.
With this award, the international jury recognizes Nespresso’s sustainability achievements. “In particular, the jury acknowledged Nespresso’s alignment with the Paris Agreement, its contribution to 11 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), its holistic sustainability approach and its roadmap towards carbon neutrality and circularity,” explained Monika Wojcik, Head of Special Projects at the World Finance Magazine.
Nespresso’s commitment to environmental protection and sustainability is authentic and consistent. The company continues to be a pioneer in data-based sustainability analysis which was also recognized by the World Finance Magazine in their decision, with judges looking into the company’s analysis of its environmental impact and biodiversity protection.
Sustainability is deeply engrained in Nespresso’s DNA. The judging panel called out the company’s partnership with the Rainforest Alliance to create the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program, its unique coffee sourcing model, its leading role in the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative and its capsule recycling ambitions among many other initiatives.
“Sustainability is at the heart of what we do. I’m proud of the achievements we have already made in scaling sustainable coffee farming and recycling provision, in enabling industry wide capsule recycling, in reducing the Nespresso carbon footprint per cup and in agroforestry efforts in the coffee producing regions. I am very happy to see these recognized by the World Finance Magazine. Innovation and collective actions will help us accelerate in this decisive decade. Businesses must be part of the solutions and Nespresso will continue to focus on being a force for good to preserve the future of our planet and the lives of people”, said Nespresso Global Head of Sustainability, Jérôme Perez.
Conclusive data and tangible results to support this recognition
Nespresso has tangibly demonstrated landmark sustainability progress with the publication of its 2014-2020 Positive Cup sustainability strategy results. Through this initiative, Nespresso has invested CAD 796 million in advancing the sustainability of its operations, from sustainable and certified coffee sourcing to carbon reduction and aluminum capsule recycling. Here are some of the key outcomes achieved by the brand over the years.
Progress in sustainable coffee sourcing
- Results from the Positive Cup revealed more than 93% of Nespresso coffee is now sourced sustainably through its AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program, up from 84% in 2014, including 48% certified coffee, up by 9 points since 2014.
- Building stronger, more resilient farming communities has always been at the heart of Nespresso’s activities. The company continues to drive innovative projects to help protect coffee farmer welfare like pioneering innovative retirement savings and crop insurance schemes. Today, over 2,000 coffee farmers in Colombia and 1,500 farmers in Indonesia have a pension saving scheme in place. Over 4,700 coffee farmers in Colombia are enrolled in crop insurance, representing over 15,000 hectares now insured.
Nespresso: Visionary approach towards recycling and aluminium
- Nespresso reached a global recycling rate of 32% at the end of 2020, up by 17% since 2014. More than 90% of its consumers worldwide have access to a convenient used capsule recycling solution.
- Nespresso’s recycling efforts cover 59 countries, with dedicated recycling systems in 54 countries. The brand also shares its infrastructure with other capsule manufacturers in 5 countries. In 38 countries, Nespresso offers a ‘Recycling at Home’ option which allows consumers to have their used capsules collected from their place of residence.
- Nespresso paved the way to create the first ever sustainable virgin aluminium standard, as a founding member of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI). ASI set the first ever global standards for sustainably, responsibly-produced aluminium.
Significant impact reductions on climate
- The company has reduced the carbon footprint of a Nespresso cup of coffee by 24%, compared to its 2009 baseline, through investment in the expansion of renewable energy use, introducing eco-design into the products, sourcing low carbon materials and optimizing logistics.
- These advancements come alongside an over CAD 20 million investment in natural climate solutions since 2014. Working with many partners including Pur Projet, Nespresso planted 5.2 million trees by end of 2020.
Nespresso: Canadian initiatives
Nespresso plays a key role in reducing residual materials across the country by implementing innovative recycling solutions. For more than 25 years, Nespresso has been a leader in this field worldwide. In Canada, the Black Bag Solution allows consumers to drop-off their used aluminum capsules to a Nespresso Boutique or to a partner collection point, and the Red Bag Solution allows them to drop off the used aluminum capsules in a Canada Post mailbox or Post Office. The Green Bag Solution allows citizens of participating municipalities to deposit their used aluminum Nespresso capsules in a green bag and place it in their recycling bin at home. The availability of these solutions varies depending on where consumers live
These entirely recyclable bags are sent to the sorting center and then sent to a local partner to undergo a mechanical process separating the coffee grounds from the aluminum. The aluminum is recovered, and the coffee grounds are used as high-quality compost on local farms, at no additional cost to consumers or municipalities.
“As evidenced by our recycling solutions, Nespresso is committed to doing more to improve our sustainability impact. We have set ambitious goals in the four areas where we can have the greatest positive impact as a company: coffee, aluminum, climate and our own business. We are committed to pursue our work,” says Julie Pomerleau, Vice-President of marketing and corporate communications at Nespresso Canada.
