Landscapes

There is a greater understanding today of the need to go beyond farm boundaries and to work at a landscape level to help conserve and restore natural environments.

The farms in our supply chains are not isolated - they are part of broader local economies with multiple industries and land uses. This is why we need to take action and apply integrated strategies that help address the many deforestation drivers in the key landscapes we source from.

Currently, we support 16 different landscape initiatives covering palm oil, pulp and paper, soy, cocoa and wheat. These are collaborative efforts to help tackle the drivers of deforestation and promote reforestation across landscapes rather than focusing on individual sites.    

By joining together with the private sector, governments, smallholder farmers, and Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IP&LCs), we can pursue the vision of a regenerative and equitable agricultural system.

Reaching beyond our supply chains

Working at a landscape level is complex, but we believe it is necessary to have a significant impact. This is where the potential benefits for biodiversity, water resources, human rights, climate change, and improving livelihoods intersect.

We need to work closely with other stakeholders to achieve those goals. Here are some of the actions we are taking:

• Supporting landscape initiatives in our strategic procurement origins
• Focusing on sourcing from landscapes that engage with our regenerative agriculture practices
• Supporting active conservation and restoration initiatives in priority landscapes
• Supporting smallholder livelihood initiatives in priority landscapes
• Participating in the development of financing mechanisms

Helping to conserve and restore the Cavally Forest 

In 2020, Nestlé started a partnership with the Ministry of Water and Forests in Côte d'Ivoire and the Earthworm Foundation to help conserve and restore the Cavally Forest Reserve. During its first three years (2020-2023), the project has led to reductions in deforestation, natural regeneration, and the reforestation of almost 1 500 hectares.

In 2023, the Cavally project entered a new phase with the additional support from new partners to achieve greater impact. These partners include the Swiss Federal Administration (SECO) via the Swiss Platform for Sustainable Cocoa (SWISSCO) as well as companies Touton and Cocoasource.

Beyond forest preservation, the project aims to strengthen the resilience of the communities in the forest's peripheral zone and improve the transparency and traceability of the cocoa and rubber supply chains.

Getting ahead of deforestation risk

In Indonesia, while the deforestation rate has decreased overall, it still persists in some crucial ecosystems that are carbon sinks, and home to unique flora and fauna. We are working with local groups to support the protection and restoration of forests, helping to increase smallholders' livelihoods, increase their yields, and provide alternative income sources. Alongside partners, Earthworm Foundation, AAK and Proforest we have implemented projects throughout Indonesia. We are also supporting landscape projects in Mexico and Malaysia. Read more about our palm oil approach.

Building a legacy for coffee

Our Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program supports farmers to use nature-based practices such as intercropping to increase soil and water resource health, biodiversity and the productivity of farming landscapes. Partnerships with non-profit Rainforest Alliance and PUR have help with implementing projects and monitoring progress.

Nature-based solutions and green finance

The Rimba Collective was developed by Lestari Capital in collaboration with founding partners. The program complements the palm oil industry’s efforts to end deforestation by funding conservation and restoration projects across the supply chain.

As part of the Rimba Collective, Nestlé's goal is to protect 93 000 hectares and restore 23 200 hectares of forest landscapes locally by the end of 2025. One example in the Rimba Collective portfolio is The Tropenbos Project, which aims to better understand biodiversity impacts and dependencies, as the basis for planning and demonstrating good biodiversity performance using the Species Threat Abatement and Restoration (STAR) metric.

The assessment revealed that these four village forests hold immense global biodiversity value, providing a habitat for 97 endangered and near-threatened bird and mammal species across the sites. These include the Bornean Orangutan, Helmeted Hornbill and Proboscis monkey.

Key actions are being implemented to address challenges such as artisanal mining, logging by communities, hunting, fires and land clearance. These include crafting a wildlife conservation plan and sharing biodiversity and wildlife conservation management knowledge to the people living in the area.

Partnerships for greater impact

Nestlé works with partners throughout our supply chains and with industry-wide coalitions, such as the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) Forest Positive Coalition to help conserve high-value ecosystems.

Together, we are supporting landscape initiatives to help prevent deforestation and promote regenerative agriculture methods in areas assessed as at high risk of deforestation.

As part of our involvement in the CGF Forest Positive Coalition, we are involved in several palm oil, pulp and paper, and soy landscape initiatives.