Nespresso Is Balancing Profit, People, & The Planet – And We Are HERE For It

We are a planet that loves our coffee. In fact, we drink roughly 2.25 billion cups a day globally. Whether it’s an oat milk latte with a splash of vanilla syrup or a humble Americano, our go-to brew is usually enjoyed first thing in the morning and sipped from our favourite mug. While we can do our bit by opting out of single-use coffee cups, cutting down on plastic waste is more than just a trendy lifestyle choice. It’s a necessity to protect our planet.

A 2022 study revealed that half of the current suitable areas for coffee growing in the world could be lost due to the increased demand and strain on the environment. Climate change is real, and there is so much more we can do to ensure that we are preserving our environment. And that starts with knowing where our premium coffee beans come from. Luckily, there is a movement brewing to ensure that the path from farmer to cup is more sustainable. This includes the use of recyclable packaging and the implementation of regenerative processes, such as the use of more environmentally friendly harvesting processes.

Nespresso announced its B Corp certification earlier this year, following the brand’s commitment to making a positive impact for its employees, communities, and environment. It joins a growing movement of more than 700 purpose-led UK and ROI businesses, and 5,000+ around the world.

“B Corp Certification reflects a 30-year Nespresso commitment to sustainability, transparency, and responsible business,” says Guillaume Le Cunff, Nespresso’s CEO. “We are immensely proud to be joining a community of like minds who share our belief that profit and purpose go hand-in-hand.”

The B Corp certification process is no easy feat. In fact, it demands high standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability to balance purpose and profile. The certification is a huge achievement for Nespresso, especially since it has, for decades, made a positive impact on the growing coffee industry since it was first founded in 1986.

To celebrate this achievement, we’re spotlighting four ways Nespresso is using its business as a force for good.

1. Nespresso Is Committed To Sourcing Sustainable Coffee Beans

Sourcing the best quality and most sustainable coffee beans is at the heart of what Nespresso does. Nespresso works with more than 120,000 farmers in 15 countries through its Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality ™ Program to embed sustainable practices on farms and the surrounding landscapes. Since its 2003 launch in collaboration with NGO Rainforest Alliance, the program has helped to reduce the environmental impact of coffee production on the planet while improving the resilience of farmers. This includes increasing the yield and quality of the harvests, ensuring a sustainable supply of high-quality coffee, as well as improving the livelihoods of farmers and supporting coffee-growing communities.

2. They Are Committed To Fairtrade Initiatives

Nespresso has been roasting Fairtrade certified coffees for many years, but it was in 2013 when the two partners began working together to create long-term initiatives to promote farmers’ wellbeing. In fact, the company has worked with Fairtrade International and the Colombian government to develop a retirement savings plan that supports coffee farmers with improved financial security – a first in the history of coffee.

3. They Are Committed To Circularity

Nespresso is a stalwart when it comes to recycling. In 1991, the brand launched its first dedicated recycling scheme in Switzerland, and in 2021 co-founded the UK’s first industry-wide capsule recycling scheme, Podback. This means that used coffee capsules from 11 different coffee capsule brands can now be easily recycled via nationwide collection points, kerbside collections areas and boutique drop offs in seven local authority areas, reaching over 1.25 million residents so far. What’s more, in 2020, Nespresso launched their first coffee capsule made using at least 80% recycled aluminium. They are rolling this initiative out across all Original and Vertuo capsule ranges by the end of 2022 and plan to include all coffee brands that use aluminium or plastic pods in the UK and ROI, to maximise the impacts of the scheme by partnering with more brands, retailers, and local authorities.

4. They Are Committed To Doing The Work

Over the course of a decade, Nespresso has invested CHF 585 million (£484.2 million) on initiatives related to sustainability like their Rainforest Alliance, AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program, and Fairtrade schemes. These incredible steps have helped progress a reduction of the company’s global carbon footprint by 24% per cup, as well as planting over five million trees in and around coffee farms throughout the world.

Now, when you’re enjoying your morning Nespresso coffee in the early hours of the morning, you can settle into your day knowing that you are contributing to sustainability each sip at a time. And what's more reassuring than that?