Nespresso Highlights The Need To Protect High-quality Coffee From Climate Threat

In The Empty Cup, starring George Clooney, Nespresso spotlights the risk that climate change poses to farming communities as the brand steps up its long-term commitment to preserve the world’s finest coffees

Auckland, 28 September 2022: Nespresso, the pioneer and reference-point of high-quality portioned coffee, marks this year’s International Coffee Day by highlighting the threat posed by climate change to global coffee production and shining a spotlight on efforts to protect it.

Nespresso, alongside brand ambassador George Clooney, is encouraging coffee lovers to consider the potential impact of climate change through the symbolism of an empty coffee cup. This represents the risk facing many coffee growers around the world, of which over 140,000 work directly with Nespresso. Currently, 60% of wild coffee species are endangered and 50% of the land used to grow coffee today could be unviable by 2050. Fine-grade Arabica is particularly vulnerable to weather shocks.

Securing and protecting the future of high-quality coffee has been central to Nespresso’s strategy for the last 20 years. Launched in 2003 in collaboration with Rainforest Alliance, the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program helps to improve the yield and quality of harvests while protecting the environment and improving the livelihoods of farmers and their communities.

Empowering farming communities to protect their land against weather shocks while simultaneously combatting the causes of climate change is critical to the future sustainability of high-grade coffee. Nespresso is doing this through regenerative agriculture: an approach that has the potential to not only reduce global agri-food emissions but to increase rural resilience against the impacts of climate change.

This International Coffee Day marks the first time that Nespresso’s long-term brand ambassador is pictured holding an empty cup in place of his trademark Nespresso coffee as he steps into his role of Nespresso Care Ambassador.

“The threat of climate change is real and coffee farmers are on the front line,” shares George Clooney. “It’s vital that we empower these communities to build financial and environmental resilience, so that they not only survive but thrive and prosper. This concept is at the heart of the Nespresso approach. But this is about more than coffee. Climate change is not something that a single company or even an entire industry can fix. It requires urgent, bold action on a global scale. The stakes are high.”

Nespresso New Zealand Managing Director Stefan Vermeulen understands that sustainability is important to Kiwis and hopes The Empty Cup will provide a powerful metaphor that climate change can have on our daily coffee moment.

“Having recently been globally certified as a B Corp certified company, Nespresso has showcased its commitment to long-term change and celebrating coffee as a force for good,” shares Stefan. “New Zealand is undoubtedly a coffee-loving nation, and while The Empty Cup showcases just one example of what we stand to lose should we not take climate action seriously, there are far greater and more serious consequences for our future. At Nespresso, we understand that we must act to protect coffee and coffee communities globally against climate change. This has been the basis of our approach for 20 years, and now we’re going even further.”

Guillaume Le Cunff, Nespresso CEO, says “Regenerative agriculture has the potential to make farming part of the solution to the climate crisis. It is an approach which doesn’t just take from the land, but actually heals nature and restores balance. I’m proud that Nespresso is pioneering this transition, but we need to do more. We’re calling on entities – both private and public – to take action that will make a tangible difference.”

Santiago Gowland, Rainforest Alliance CEO, says “Almost a quarter of emissions come from agriculture, forestry and other land use. We urgently need swifter action to address climate change and changing the way we grow our food must play a big part. The good news is that transitioning to regenerative agriculture can reduce the impact of farming and sustain our global food system for future generations.”

While also heroing and protecting vulnerable coffee communities globally, Nespresso is also committed to showing Kiwis how their small recycling act can have a large positive impact, right here in New Zealand. Some local initiatives include:

• Nearly 1,000 capsule recycling points across New Zealand from florists to post shops, with 100% of customers having access to a capsule recycling solution thanks to Nespresso NZ Post Recycling Bag. For more information on coffee capsule recycling, head to Nespresso’s website.
• Nespresso aluminium coffee capsules that are recycled with Nespresso are sent to a specialist recycling plant based in South Auckland. There, the aluminium is separated from the residual coffee. The coffee is sent to an industrial composting facility to be transformed into compost, while the aluminium is recycled and sent back to the aluminium industry to produce new aluminium products.
• Coffee grounds are repurposed for use at local orchards and gardens, as well as in Garden to Table schools to empowering Kiwi kids to grow, harvest, prepare and share fresh, seasonal kai (food).

Ecosystems are delicate. That’s why Nespresso believes it is important to regenerate land, restore healthy ecosystems, and build resilience against the impacts of climate change. So, the land can thrive, while also providing high-quality coffee to savour.

Nespresso continues to look for ways to make a difference wherever it can. This is why Nespresso is committed to doing business responsibly. It means ensuring the sustainability of your coffee through a comprehensive recycling program, with observable results. Because sustainability justifies the means.

See how a small recycling act can have a large positive impact, right here in New Zealand.

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