Nespresso has committed to making every cup of its coffee carbon neutral by 2022, both for at-home and professional customers.
Having already achieved carbon neutrality in its business operations since 2017, the company now plans to address scope three emissions occurring in its supply chain and product life cycle.
Nespresso says that it will achieve carbon neutrality through reducing its carbon emissions and planting trees in and around coffee farms where it sources its coffee (‘insetting’).
Thirdly, the company will invest in ‘high-quality’ offsetting projects, including initiatives to support forest conservation and restoration, or implement clean energy solutions within farming communities.
Immediate carbon emission reduction initiatives include increasing the use of biogas within the company’s manufacturing process and working towards 100% renewable energy in all Nespresso boutiques.
In addition, the company is increasing the use of recycled plastic within Nespresso machines, as well as of recycled and low-carbon virgin aluminium within coffee capsules.
Planting trees also helps to capture carbon from the atmosphere, while providing additional agricultural benefits. According to Nespresso, planting trees provides the shade needed to improve the quality and quantity of a coffee harvest, while the roots help protect against soil erosion and landslides, and promote soil regeneration.
With its partner Pur Projet, the company plans to triple tree planting capacity in coffee producing countries such as Colombia, Guatemala, Ethiopia and Costa Rica.
“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 of Pur Projet and member of the Nespresso sustainability advisory board.
“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. We will continue working together and triple the capacity of the carbon insetting program and regenerating the ecosystems we all depend upon.”
Guillaume Le Cunff, CEO of Nespresso, added: “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.”
Earlier this year, Nespresso launched what it claims are the first coffee capsules made using 80% recycled aluminium.
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