Nespresso, the pioneer in premium portioned coffee, is celebrating the 4-year anniversary of its recycling program in the United Arab Emirates. Committed to increasing sustainability in its value chain, Nespresso collects and recycles its coffee capsules through its local partner Bee’ah, the Middle East’s fastest growing environmental management company. The milestone also provides Nespresso an opportunity to reassess and refocus its efforts to enhance its sustainability drive even further. As part of its renewed commitment to the program, Nespresso is exploring collaboration with organic farms to supply natural compost to aid food production in the country.
Consumption of coffee is at an all-time high in the region and through this innovative program Nespresso is actively calling on coffee fans to contribute to this noble cause and recycle their used capsules.
Manuel Sancho, Business Development Manager for the Middle East & Africa at Nespresso, said, “At Nespresso we are committed to doing business responsibly, and this value is what drove us to launch our recycling program four years ago. Nowadays 10-12% of sold capsules are actually recycled by our Club Members but through sustained efforts we are confident we can grow that number. While the recycling rate falls short of our expectations, it is nevertheless encouraging to see more and more of our consumers coming forward to be part of this cause to help protect the environment. On our part, we are ramping up our communication and activities with renewed focus to spread the word far and wide. The greater the awareness, the more we can do for the environment and our local communities.”
Ease of recycling:
With its innovative ‘Recycling at Home’ service, Nespresso takes the hassle out of responsibly disposing of used coffee capsules. The company has set up a convenient pick-up service to collect used capsules from the customer’s home or work every time a new order is delivered.
Nespresso also provides coffee lovers with a fully recyclable eco bag to pack their used capsules and drop them off at any Nespresso boutique.
The power of the bean:
Despite being in existence for only 4 years, Nespresso’s recycling program has helped reduce environmental impact and tangibly contributed to the improvement of outdoor spaces in local communities. All components of the coffee capsule are infinitely recyclable. A low energy process is used to re-melt the aluminium, while the grounds are used as a natural fertilizer for plants and flowers to beautify surrounding areas.
The collected used capsules are recycled efficiently through Nespresso’s local partner Bee’ah.
“During the course of our 4-year partnership with Bee’ah, we have recycled the nation’s used coffee capsules to increase our sustainability footprint. We will tirelessly continue our efforts and with Bee’ah’s expertise on our side, we are confident of making greater environmental contribution in the future,” added Sancho.
H.E. Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of Bee’ah, said: “By collaborating with Nespresso for the past 4 years, we have accomplished a zero-waste recovery process for the coffee capsules. And as we reach this landmark, I encourage coffee drinkers to get behind this effort. As an industry leader in environmental management, Bee’ah promotes the adoption of a circular economy and doing business in a sustainable manner. We aim to continue our collaboration with Nespresso for many years to come”.
Internationally, Nespresso launched its recycling initiative nearly a decade and a half ago as part of the company’s comprehensive global commitment to sustainability. Since its inception in 2003, the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program is a one-of-a-kind green coffee sourcing approach that focuses on quality, sustainability and productivity. It has helped to secure the supply of the highest quality coffees and the livelihoods of the farmers that grow them. The program invests in community infrastructures and training as well as pays price premiums for superior coffee and best agricultural practices.
The cup of joy:
Earlier this year, Nespresso launched its first Creating Shared Value report based on the Global Reporting Initiative framework, which encompasses all 69 countries across the world where the company operates. The report sets out Nespresso’s commitment to driving sustainable innovation– through the company’s vision for ensuring that every cup of coffee creates greater value for society and the environment.
Nespresso is focusing on three core areas – coffee sourcing, aluminium and climate. Highlights from the report include:
▪ Collaboration with some 45 partners ranging from Fair Trade and the Rainforest Alliance to deliver solutions to sustainability challenges
▪ Since 2014 alone, the investment of CHF 197 million [approximately AED 731.3 million] in programs that will impact on 11 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
▪ Supporting the livelihoods of farmers by sourcing 82% of coffee through the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program. Strong progress towards the goal of 100% AAA certified coffee by 2020
▪ Creation of the Nespresso Sustainability Innovation Fund (NSIF) and the doubling of Nespresso’s initial seed capital to $20 million [approximately 73.5 million] to support projects like climate-smart agriculture in East Africa with backing from the World Bank BioCarbon Fund
▪ Pioneering a new standard for sustainable aluminium sourcing as a founding member of what is now the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (www.aluminium-stewardship.org), grouping civil society and key players in the industry to drive a common agenda to protect people and the environment throughout the aluminium value chain – from bauxite mining to finished product
▪ Significant progress in recycling with millions of collection points now in place and a number of local authorities accepting capsules in their recycling schemes
▪ Planting of 1.4 million trees in AAA coffee producing regions over the past two years and on track towards goal of planting 5 million trees by 2020
Contact information
For further information contact: Carine Arif at Weber Shandwick MENA on +971 4 445 42 22 / email [email protected]
About Nestlé Nespresso SA
Nestlé Nespresso SA is the pioneer and reference for highest-quality portioned coffee. The company works with more than 70,000 farmers in 12 countries through its AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program to embed sustainability practices on farms and the surrounding landscapes. Launched in 2003 in collaboration with The Rainforest Alliance, the program helps to improve the yield and quality of harvests, ensuring a sustainable supply of high quality coffee and improving livelihoods of farmers and their communities.
Headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, Nespresso operates in 69 countries and has more than 12,000 employees. In 2016, it operated a global retail network of more than 600 boutiques. For more information, visit the Nespresso corporate website: www.nestle-nespresso.com.