Nestlé Australia has promised to accelerate local commitments to decrease its greenhouse gas emissions. The move follows an announcement from the global company outlining a roadmap to halve its emissions by 2030.
Nestlé Oceania CEO Sandra Martinez said as a signatory of the UN Business Ambition for 1.5°C pledge, Nestlé is one of the first companies to share a detailed, time-bound plan.
“Tackling climate change can’t wait, so neither will we,” Martinez said.
“We have all witnessed the impact of the climate crisis right on our doorstep. As Nestlé releases its climate roadmap today, I am proud to say that in Australia, Nestlé is ready to step up to the challenge and accelerate our work to improve our future on this critical front.”
Nestle Australia said it has made progress in several areas as it works towards net zero:
Prioritising renewable in manufacturing and operations
- In Australia, more than 60 per cent of the energy powering our Nescafé factory in regional Queensland comes from renewable bioenergy sources, including used coffee grounds leftover from making Nescafé.
- In the New South Wales mid north coast, more than 80 per cent of our Milo factory’s power comes from using sawdust waste from a local timber mill.
- The company is working towards renewable electricity within the next five years for all its Australian sites – factories, offices, boutiques and distribution centres.
Transforming the product portfolio
- Nestlé is increasing the number of carbon-neutral brands. For example, Nespresso, San Pellegrino, and Perrier have already committed to carbon neutrality by 2022. The Harvest Gourmet range of plant-based meat alternatives has also made the same commitment.
- The company has introduced plant-based alternatives for existing products such as Milo Plant-Based and Nescafé Gold Plant-Based Latte.
- Further investment is also being made in plant-based products to limit impact on the environment and enhance the quality of life of Aussie families.
Evolving packaging
- Transforming how we make, use, and recycle packaging can play an important role in the journey to net zero, Nestlé Australia said. The company continues to make progress on its efforts to make 100 per cent of its packaging reusable or recyclable by 2025, which will significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions footprint.
Along with working with its own packaging, Nestlé said it wants to help increase end-of-life recycling rates to tackle packaging waste and reduce the raw materials we use.
Nestlé and Australian recycler iQ Renew have commenced a trial which is seeing soft plastics collected through kerbside recycling and diverted from landfill. http://www.packagingnews.com.au/sustainability/nestl-and-iq-renew-launch-soft-plastic-recycling-trial
With most post-consumer soft plastic going to landfill, the trial aims to find ways to collect household soft plastic and turn it into a resource. The trial has commenced with 2000 households on the NSW Central Coast, with plans to extend it to around 140,000 homes.
“Together with our employees, customers, consumers, suppliers and stakeholders I look forward to not only embracing the challenge ahead and helping to deliver a better future,” Martinez said.
