Nespresso on track to reduce carbon emissions

Nespresso has confirmed it’s on target to reduce its carbon emissions by 20 per cent and to recycle the majority of its coffee machine capsules by 2013, according to reports from news agencies. In 2009, the Swiss-based company set sustainability goals, aiming to cut its carbon footprint by a fifth from 2009 levels and recycle 75 per cent of their aluminum coffee capsules. Guillaume Le Cunff, international marketing and strategy director at Nespresso, says the company sees “no signal” that its 2013 goals will not be achieved. Nespresso, a subsidiary of food and beverage giant Nestlé, is now half way through its sustainability initiative and has discussed its process thus far. According to Nespresso, the company had already reduced its carbon emissions across its coffee supply chain by 11 per cent as at the end of 2010. Nespresso says the carbon emission reductions are the result of improving its machines and increasing capsule recycling. They say it was necessary to evaluate the whole supply chain and operations from coffee growing and packaging production to distribution and machine use. A Nespresso executive says they wont change the capsule material because of concerns it will jeopardise coffee quality. The executive notes the aluminum material they currently use remains the “lowest impact choice” because it is suited to recycling. By 2013, Nespresso aims to source 80 per cent of its coffee from suppliers who are associated with the company’s AAA sustainable quality program, which applies sustainable social and environmental criteria to farms supplying high-quality coffee. Nespresso will review its progress annually and put in place fresh sustainability objectives beyond 2013.