George Clooney’s Empty Cup In The New Nespresso Campaign Has A Very Deep Meaning

The undeniable effects of climate change are already here. Their impact is being felt around the world. In the UK, there have been droughts — even wildfires — and recently we’ve seen a third of Pakistan overwhelmed by floods. With climate change in sharp relief, Nespresso’s recent campaign The Empty Cup wants to highlight the devastating impact the climate crisis can have on coffee farmers. Experts predict that 50% of the land used to grow coffee could be unusable by 2050. This can, of course, threaten the future of high-quality coffee and the livelihoods of the people who produce it.

Familiar Nespresso brand ambassador George Clooney fronts the campaign but this time, instead of sipping a delicious Nespresso blend, he’s holding an empty cup. As well as symbolising the potential impact of the climate crisis can have on the high-quality coffee so many enjoy – crucially, it calls attention to the threat facing coffee farmers. Nespresso and Clooney hope the campaign will inspire positive action and spotlight the progress already being made. Clooney said: “The threat of climate change is real and coffee farmers are on the front line. It’s vital that we empower these communities to build financial and environmental resilience, so that they not only survive but thrive and prosper.”

Since establishing its AAA Program in partnership with the Rainforest Alliance in 2003, Nespresso has been working closely with over 140,000 coffee farmers in 18 countries to support the use of sustainable agricultural practices. The aim is to help to improve the quality of their coffee and the productivity of their farms.

But Nespresso also recognizes the real need to step up support for those who stand to be most affected as the climate crisis intensifies. The company has not only been helping farming communities recover from natural disasters, but also assists them in safeguarding their crops from future weather shocks.

Regenerative practices respect and replenish nature, rather than deplete it. They also play a central role in helping farming be part of the solution to the climate crisis. In practice, this looks like promoting soil health, planting crops in locations where rainwater can be conserved and soil loss can be reduced, as well as using organic fertilizers. It also involves agroforestry — a process where trees, shrubs and hedges are planted alongside crops to help reduce the carbon emissions associated with farming.

That’s the part coffee farming can play, but obviously the problem of the climate crisis goes much further than coffee. So too must efforts to prevent it. With the The Empty Cup campaign, Nespresso aims to encourage meaningful action. Earlier this year Nespresso received B Corp certification in recognition of its support for farmers and efforts on sustainability. Nespresso also has net-zero carbon emissions in its sights and has already reached the significant milestone of ensuring every cup of its coffee is carbon neutral in 2022, as ratified by The Carbon Trust.

As it stands, 60% of wild coffee species are endangered and fine-grade Arabica is particularly vulnerable to climate change. The idea that the climate crisis could be coming for your coffee might be a shocking one, but behind every cup is a coffee farmer, and the threat posed to them and their communities is what’s truly shocking. Nespresso’s call to action is clear — change is needed.

For more information about how Nespresso made this achievement happen, visit nestle-nespresso.com.