We are convinced that coffee can be a force for good because it can shape communities and preserve landscapes for the better.

By the end of 2020 we will reach the goals of our current sustainability ambitions:

• Sourcing all our coffee sustainably.
• Making our own operations carbon neutral.
• Offering to more than 90% of our customers, easy access to a collection point to recycle used capsules.

We commit to accelerate our efforts in reducing, reusing and recycling.

• We have already started using recycled aluminium in our capsules
• We have already set up capsule collection systems for the infinitely recyclable aluminium of our capsules
• The infinitely recyclable aluminium from our capsules can have a second life after use, and never wasted.

The new reality we are all facing has also moved us to accelerate our plans in order to achieve in 2 years what we had initially planned to accomplish over the course of 10 years.

Creating a better tomorrow for farmers has always been our priority. That is why our commitment is to ensure farmers achieve a stable and viable living from coffee.

• We will continue to build on 20 years of partnership with farmers, paying premium coffee prices and encouraging sustainable practices.
• We are reducing risk from market and currency unpredictability and ensuring farmers can make a living off their work.
• We will work with our partners at Fairtrade to increase the share of our certified coffees.

The main chapters of your coffee’s carbon footprint*:

Chapter 1:
How a cup of coffee is prepared.

Chapter 2:
How green coffee is cultivated and transported.

Chapter 3:
How the coffee is packaged.

_{*Source: Quantis 2020 Swiss B2B LCA}

Almost half of your coffee’s carbon footprint (45%) comes from how it’s prepared at home from brewing to cup-washing

The precision brewing system uses only what’s needed – optimizing coffee, energy and water usage – making it a sustainable way to enjoy coffee.



The way green coffee is cultivated and transported accounts for 35% of each cup’s carbon footprint*

That’s why using a precise amount of coffee in our capsules and promoting sustainable farming practices are key to improving our carbon footprint and helping us reach our goal of becoming carbon neutral.

At 14%, packaging is the 3rd contributor to your coffee’s carbon footprint*.

To further reduce it, our goal at Nespresso is to have our Original and Vertuo capsules made using 80% recycled aluminium by the end of 2021.

Plus, when you recycle capsules you further reduce the carbon footprint of your cup of coffee.

In 2018, we brought in the expertise of Quantis, a globally recognized sustainability consulting group, to conduct a Product Life Cycle Assessment of a cup of Nespresso coffee.

The study has been reviewed by independent experts and followed ISO 14040/44 standards.

It is based on:

• 110ml of Lungo Nespresso
• An Inissia machine
• In Switzerland

Partners like PUR Projet and Technoserve have helped Nespresso and local coffee farming communities to understand the gifts of the forest, through agroforestry. Agroforestry is an agricultural practice in which trees are grown around or among crops, for soil protection, water replenishment, windbreak, temperature regulation, and additional income - so that not only your coffee, but also the surrounding ecosystems can benefit from the gifts of the forest. 

For nearly 20 years, the Rainforest Alliance has worked with Nespresso to help secure the stable, long-term supply of sustainably-sourced high-quality coffee, whilst protecting the natural environment and supporting the wellbeing of farmers and communities; through training on farm management for increased productivity and improved harvest quality; and by helping build resilience to climate change through climate-smart agricultural practices.