At Nestlé, we apply a product life cycle approach involving our partners from farm to consumer in order to minimise the environmental impact of our products and activities.
Our aim at all stages of the cycle is to use natural resources efficiently, to favour the use of sustainably-managed renewable resources and to target zero waste. In this way, we intend for our brands to stand for environmental sustainability.
Nestlé's initiatives aim to improve the environmental performance of the products along their entire life cycle. These include sourcing sustainable raw materials, reducing energy consumption and minimising air emissions by moving to different fuel types. Nestlé invests an average of CHF 40 million a year to reduce its air emissions. Another significant step in the value chain is transport. Nestlé has initiated a pilot with Schenker, an international logistics company, to evaluate the effect of different types of transport, distances driven and fuel type used. Through internal research and development at Nestlé there have also been significant advances in the environmental impact of refrigerants and packaging. Without compromising product quality there was a reduction of 392 000 tonnes of packaging material between 1991 and 2008.
Proprietary technology for improved nutrition and energy saving
Science-driven proprietary technology is driving our nutrition, health and wellness strategy. As a result of proprietary process technology, Nescafé Protect is rich in antioxidants – helping to defuse free radicals that are a main cause of ageing. Our proprietary and revolutionary aseptic process means that NaturNes baby foods retain nutrients more effectively and capture more of the taste of natural ingredients than competitor products. NaturNes also benefits the environment by using plastic rather than glass jars, thereby reducing primary energy consumption by up to 27% and greenhouse gas emissions by up to 31%. Read the full NaturNes case study.