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HELPING WHERE THEY CAN

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WE TAKE LOOK AT NESTLÉ’S EFFORTS TO SUPPORT SUSTAINABILITY AND THE COMMUNITIES IT WORKS WITHIN.

HELPING WHERE THEY CAN PROJECT MANAGED BY: GARY SMITH Nestlé is the world’s largest food and beverage company with a presence in 189 countries and over 2,000 brands, some of which are household names around the world while others are regional favourites.

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estlé has always said its business is inspired by the scientific innovation of its founder, Henri Nestlé, and the business works together with various internal and external collaborators to improve quality of life and contribute to a healthier future.

This decade the corporation has defined three broad ambitions which will guide Nestlé’s strategy until 2030, in turn supporting the targets set by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Those goals are to help

to 50 million children to lead a healthier life, to help improve the living conditions of 30 million people in communities directly related to Nestlé’s business activities, and to work to achieve an environmental impact zero in the business’s activities.

The company has certainly grown a long way since it was founded over 150 years ago by Henri Nestlé when he created a new baby food. Since then Nestlé has offered innovative products based on scientific principles with values that are

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www.procarne.cl

“From the nature of Southern Chile, with high quality and excellent food safety standards, we have been supplying Nestlé with red meat for more than 20 years” Procarne Avda Buzeta 3770 Estacion Central, Santiago RM, CHILE Phone: +56 (2) 2414-1300 Fax: +56 (2) 2414-1357 E-Mail: info@procarne.cl Web: www.procarne.cl

reflected in the way Nestlé works.

A COMMITMENT TO FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE

The most recent example of these values in action can be seen the Nestle Colombia’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gases with a target of 0% by 2050. This is the reason that Nestlé set itself the goal last year to accelerate its measures for tackling climate change to achieve zero net emissions by 2050 across its value chain. Nestlé’s

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“NESTLÉ HAS ALWAYS SAID ITS BUSINESS IS INSPIRED

BY THE SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION OF ITS FOUNDER, HENRI NESTLÉ.”

strategy to achieve this has been plotted across three sectors.

The first of these sectors is products and packaging.

Nestle intends to accelerate the transformation of their packaging and products, redesigning its Fit for Purpose Packaging to reduce the amount of virgin material introduce more recycled, alternative and environmentally friendly materials in their place.

Nestlé’s strategy is ultimately based on the circular economy strategy, where the sustainable transformation of packaging and the neutrality of plastic are intended to guarantee that 100% of containers and packaging are reusable or recyclable by 2025 around the world.

Nestlé is also working in the agricultural sector to reduce its carbon footprint. The business is committed to strengthening programs that work with farmers to restore land while limiting greenhouse gas emissions, and building resilient farming communities.

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On the energy front, Nestlé aims to use 100% renewable electricity in its factories, its warehouses, its logistics operations and even offices.

Already 143 of Nestlé’s factories, a third of the total number, use 100% renewable electricity.

PLASTIC NEUTRAL

Attaining plastic neutral status is a key part of Nestlé’s strategy, where the goal is nothing less than ensuring that none of Nestlé’s packaging ends up in landfills, oceans, lakes or rivers. To achieve this Nestlé is ensuring all of its packaging is reusable or recyclable within the next five years. The company is also developing new materials and delivery systems, as well as innovative business models in every country where Nestlé operates.

Of course, any sustainable packaging solution has to take into account the entire lifecycle of the product, and Nestlé is supporting collection, sorting and recycling schemes. This is in addition to reducing Nestlé’s use of virgin plastics by a third by 2025 alongside reducing single-use plastics through new reusable packaging.

It’s a project that’s already showing results, with Nestlé stating that in Colombia they have avoided 3,482 tons of CO2 entering the atmosphere between 2018 and March 20202, according to

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global packaging and waste management lines.

IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIPS

Nestlé isn’t about to achieve these results alone, however, and the corporation frequently works through strategic alliances and collaborations across the value chain. They have also worked with industry and civil society associations,

looking for new options to allow Nestlé to achieve their sustainability objectives while establishing best practices at the local level.

These partnerships include a strategic alliance with Cempre to accelerate the knowledge, learning and valuation of Nestlé’s recycling chains.

Nestlé has used Cempre’s strategic management to help

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in the removal of plastic from the environment by recycling associations at Nestlé’s various operating locations. Cempre has also helped Nestlé identify opportunities to improve the ecosystem.

Veolia meanwhile has been Nestlé’s global ally in reducing plastic waste. This company has been responsible for aiding in the recovery and recycling scheme Nestlé is implementing to support the achievement of plastic neutral status by

capturing, processing and taking advantage of packaging.

As Antonio Núñez, President of Nestlé Colombia has said, “As a company, we have a duty to protect biodiversity and natural resources, while encouraging others to act responsibly. We are working so that from our business we can generate a positive change in terms of recycling, energy efficiency and sustainable food options to make a significant difference in all the places where we operate.”

“AS A COMPANY, WE HAVE A DUTY TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, WHILE ENCOURAGING OTHERS TO ACT RESPONSIBLY.”

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HELPING COMMUNITIES

However, not every effort Nestlé makes to support people and the environment is a huge global strategy. In Chile, the company recently collaborated with four others of the biggest names in food and beverage companies, Carozzi, CCU, PepsiCo and Watt’s, to join the “Strength for our Heroes” campaign.

This campaign was designed to thank and recognise thousands of health workers in public hospitals who are working against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The scheme has been put into place in coordination with Chile’s Ministry of Health and will see the delivery of 45,000 snacks to regional hospitals to support thousands of workers.

Undersecretary of Healthcare Networks Arturo Zúñiga has said that “throughout this pandemic, health officials have shown first-rate work. They have been developing exceptional work throughout Chile for months, being the heroes of this situation that we are experiencing as a country, working day and night for the health of all Chileans. And we still have a way to go. As the Ministry of Health, we know that we need a collaborative spirit to get ahead in times like this. These types of donations are a contribution so that our health workers feel the support of different sectors during the long shifts they are doing.”

These are the sorts of projects that show the impact a company like Nestlé can have.

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