Key definitions

Throughout the Sustainability section we use a number of key terms that help explain our priorities, commitments and actions. The definitions below provide clear, practical explanations to support understanding and transparency.

Regenerative agriculture
In line with the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform, Nestlé defines regenerative agriculture as an approach to farming which aims to conserve and restore natural resources, primarily soil, as well as water and biodiversity, while capturing carbon in soils and plant biomass, and to support farmers’ livelihoods. Examples of regenerative agriculture practices include reduced tillage and agroforestry. More information is available in our Nestlé Agriculture Framework (pdf, 19Mb). Read more about regenerative agriculture.

Deforestation-free
Deforestation-free means that commodities in scope were assessed as produced on land that has not been subject to deforestation or conversion after a specific cut-off date that varies by commodity, but no later than December 31, 2020. Read more about deforestation-free. 

Responsible sourcing
For Nestlé, responsible sourcing means improving the traceability of our ingredients and monitoring how they are produced. This involves applying our environmental and human rights requirements - detailed in our Responsible Sourcing Core Requirements (pdf, 2Mb) - at the different stages of our supply chain. Examples of these requirements include that land and resources of Indigenous peoples and local communities are respected and that no deforestation and no conversion of forests and other ecosystems occur in our supply chain. Read more about responsible sourcing.

Definition of just transition
Just transition refers to a framework aimed at making the shift towards a regenerative food system as fair and inclusive as possible, creating decent work opportunities and minimizing negative impacts on farmers, workers, and communities.
It encompasses a range of actions aimed at mitigating the negative social and economic impact of climate and agriculture action, while maximizing the benefits for all stakeholders, especially those most vulnerable (e.g., farmers, women, migrant workers), for example through building resilience, improving livelihoods and promoting human rights. Read more about just transition.

Net zero 
Nestlé has committed to reaching net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050 at the latest. In 2020, we published our timebound plan, the Nestlé Net Zero Roadmap (pdf, 16Mb), which underpins our Group’s climate strategy and acts as our transition plan aligned with a 1.5°C pathway as validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi). We will balance any remaining emissions through high-quality natural climate solutions. Read more about net zero.

Advancing regenerative food systems at scale

• Nestlé’s intention to advance regenerative food systems at scale means: Advancing by raising Nestlé’s voice and using its influence to drive progress, in collaboration with others.
• Regenerative to help conserve and restore farmland and landscapes.
• Food systems encompassing actors, activities, processes and products involved in growing, raising, making, packaging, delivering and consuming food and the management of food and food-related waste.
• At scale because the planet, communities and individuals need global, systems-level change.

Read more about regenerative food systems.

Water stewardship
The Alliance for Water Stewardship defines water stewardship as the use of water that is socially and culturally equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial, achieved through a stakeholder-inclusive process that includes both site- and catchment-based actions. Read more about water stewardship (pdf, 19Mb).

Circularity
Reflecting the circular economy principles defined by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, circularity is about designing out waste and pollution, keeping materials in use at their highest value, and regenerating nature.

Packaging Designed for Recycling (D4R)
Refers to packaging materials and formats which are compliant with our Negative List and aligned with the Golden Design Rules.

Recyclable
As defined in the Ellen McArthur Foundation reporting guideline definitions, a packaging or packaging component is recyclable if it is successfully post-consumer collected, sorted and recycled with a recycling rate of 30% in multiple regions, collectively representing more than 400 million inhabitants.
 

Reusable
Following ISO 18603, reusable is the characteristic of a product or packaging that has been conceived and designed to accomplish within its lifecycle a certain number of trips, rotations or uses for the same purpose for which it was conceived. The weight of reusable packaging is defined by the total weight of reusable packaging, divided by the number of expected rotations over the entire life of the package. 
 

Compostable
According to ISO 18606, a material is considered compostable (whether suitable for home or industrial composting) when, through microbial activity, its biodegradable components break down to form compost as well as naturally occurring gases and water under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

Food loss
Is the decrease in the quantity or quality of food resulting from decisions and actions by food suppliers in the chain, excluding retailers, food service providers and consumers. Empirically, it refers to any food that is discarded, incinerated or otherwise disposed of along the food supply chain from harvest/slaughter/catch up to, but excluding, the retail level, and does not re-enter in any other productive utilization, such as feed or seed.¹
 

Food waste
The decrease in the quantity or quality of food resulting from decisions and actions by retailers, food service providers and consumers.²
 

Food Surplus
Surplus food refers to edible food products, ingredients, or partly processed items that remain unsold or unused due to factors like specification mismatches, production or labeling errors, supply-demand imbalances, or date-marking restrictions. Surplus food may be redistributed if it is safe for human consumption and complies with local safety and information rules.³

Use-by Date
Means the date which signifies the end of the estimated period under any stated storage conditions, after which the product probably will not have the quality attributes normally expected by the consumers. After this date, the food should not be regarded as marketable.⁴
 

Best-before (or date of minimum durability) 
Means the date which signifies the end of the period under any stated storage conditions during which the product will remain fully marketable and will retain any specific qualities for which tacit or express claims have been made. However, beyond the date the food may still be perfectly satisfactory.⁵