Nespresso today commits that every cup of Nespresso coffee, both for at-home and for professional customers, will be carbon neutral by 2022.
This new ambition builds on more than 10 years of work during which Nespresso has reduced its carbon emissions and compensated the remainder through agroforestry. The brand’s continued journey towards circularity is reflected in its reintroduction of Master Origins Colombia – the first coffee capsules on the market made with 80% recycled aluminium.
“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 .
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 life cycle.
Nespresso will achieve carbon neutrality through the following initiatives: the reduction of carbon emissions; the planting of trees in and around coffee farms where Nespresso sources its coffee; and through support and investment in high quality offsetting projects.
Carbon emission reduction
A crucial element of Nespresso’s vision is to decarbonize its value chain. These immediate initiatives include sustainable energy usage within Nespresso ’s operations, driving towards 100% renewable energy in all Nespresso boutiques and increasing the use of biogas within the manufacturing process, and expanded circularity of Nespresso products and packaging, which increases the use of recycled plastic within Nespresso
machines, as well as of recycled and low carbon virgin aluminium within coffee capsules.
Planting trees in coffee farms and the surrounding landscapes
Trees are the best way to capture carbon from the atmosphere while investing in nature and building a regenerative agricultural system. Planting trees provides 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 in coffee producing countries such as Colombia, Guatemala, Ethiopia and Costa Rica.
Accelerate to make an immediate positive impact
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 system, drive sustainable livelihoods for farmers and build a circular business.
“Climate change is happening now, which means that we must all take responsibility and action, quickly. It’s clear that Nespresso understands this urgency and is putting our planet and people front and center of the choices it makes. I’ve seen how far we’ve come, and I’m excited to see the good that Nespresso can deliver in the next 10 years,” said George Clooney, actor and Nespresso Global Brand Ambassador and member of the Nespresso Sustainability Advisory Board.
“At Nespresso, we are constantly striving towards a sustainable and circular coffee economy. The company’s new 2022 commitment to carbon neutrality is a big stride towards this goal. We can expect to see changes throughout the value chain across the globe, including how we operate in Hong Kong, and we look forward to sharing more on our local ambitions as we continue to make a tangible difference to the environment,” said Justin Lam, Business Executive Officer of Nespresso Hong Kong and Macau.
As part of its journey to circularity, Nespresso is now introducing revamped Master Origins Colombia capsules – the first coffee capsules on the market made using 80% recycled aluminium. Composed of a thinner aluminium foil than previous counterparts, each of the Master Origins Colombia capsules require 9.2% less aluminium material than before and are 8% lighter. By the end of 2021, Nespresso aims to have all of its coffee capsules made using recycled aluminium.
Recycled aluminium requires 95% less energy to produce than virgin aluminium, making it especially wellsuited for use in a circular business model. Aluminium is infinitely recyclable and serves as the perfect barrier to oxygen, light and humidity to protect the freshness and aroma of high-quality coffee. Due to the composition of the aluminium alloy required to produce Nespresso capsules, 80% is the current maximum amount of recycled content that can be used today. However, Nespresso continues to look at solutions to further this progress.
Also launching today is the latest addition to the Nespresso Master Origins range – the new Limited Edition Master Origins Aged Sumatra . With the unique Indonesian process of giling basah , the coffee beans are left to moisten and dry and continuously re-bagged to ensure that they age evenly to their optimal state over 3 years. The result is a distinctive cup with woody and spicy character, along with complex cocoa and sweet caramel notes. The new Master Origins Aged Sumatra complements the five existing single origin blends in the range – Colombia, Nicaragua, Ethiopia, India and Indonesia – so that coffee lovers can experience the ultimate coffee craftsmanship from far-flung corners of the globe.
Nespresso Limited Edition Master Origins
Aged Sumatra is priced at HK$67 per sleeve (10 capsules) and the rest of the Master Origins permanent range coffee capsules are priced at HK$49 per sleeve (10 capsules). Limited Edition Master Origins
Aged S umatra will be available from 14 September 2020 until stocks last. For more information on Nespresso’s Master Origins range including coffee recipes and the perfect accessories, please visit the Nespresso Boutiques, online platform at www.nespresso.com/hk or get in touch with the Nespresso Customer Service Hotline (8101 1007).