Nespresso Launches Major New Sustainability Initiatives in Africa and Latin America
16 Jul 2013 --- Nespresso has unveiled a series of major new socio-economic and environmental initiatives to mark the tenth anniversary of its AAA Sustainable Quality Program at the inaugural meeting of its newly-formed sustainability advisory board in Switzerland.
The advisory board, comprised of thought-leaders and sustainability experts including Harriet Lamb, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Fairtrade International; Tensie Whelan, President of the Rainforest Alliance; Auret Van Heerden, President and CEO of the Fair Labor Association; and George Clooney, actor and Nespresso brand ambassador, will provide recommendations to enhance the company’s long-term sustainability strategy.
The aim is to build on the success of the company’s AAA Program, developed ten years ago in co-operation with the Rainforest Alliance to secure the highest quality coffee while improving sustainable farming practices and enhancing farmer welfare.
By the end of 2012, Nespresso was sourcing almost 70% of its coffee from more than 52,000 farmers who are part of the programme and aims to increase this to 80% by the end of 2013.
Advancing efforts
“As we mark ten years of the AAA Program, I am proud to have the opportunity to work with renowned leaders in environmental and social sustainability to strengthen our programmes and develop new initiatives to create shared value for coffee farmers,” said Jean-Marc Duvoisin, Chief Executive Officer of Nespresso, at the event.
“Their insight and independent perspectives will help advance our sustainability efforts and will ensure we remain focused on initiatives that will have a positive overall impact on the environment and social aspects of our value chain.”
At the board meeting in the city of Lausanne, Nespresso announced several new initiatives to support the economic and environmental sustainability of coffee-farming communities in Africa and Latin America from where it sources some of its ‘Grands Crus’.
The company said it would extend its AAA Program to smallholder farmers in Ethiopia and Kenya with the aim of doubling the amount of coffee it sources from the two countries to 10,000 tonnes by 2020.
Nespresso will partner with local governments and non-profit organisation TechnoServe to improve coffee sustainability at farm level, while launching social development programmes to support the welfare of farmers, their families and the wider community.
The company also announced plans to revive coffee production in South Sudan through a partnership with TechnoServe that is expected to benefit thousands of smallholder farmers.
In Latin America, Nespresso will build on its existing AAA Program initiatives in Colombia by launching a pilot programme in partnership with Fairtrade International to better support farmers and their families.
The ‘AAA Farmer Future Program’ will introduce welfare provisions, including health and accident insurance and retirement planning.
Agro-forestry
At the event, Nespresso confirmed it will continue to work towards bringing all its coffee farmers into the AAA Program, as well as increasing the number of farmers who obtain Rainforest Alliance certification.
The company will expand the ‘agro-forestry’ element of the AAA Program, in collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance and conservation organisation Pur Projet.
The aim is to help farmers to increase their investment in harvestable trees or shrubs that can be grown among or around coffee crops as a means of preserving or enhancing the productivity of the land.
