Sponsor feature by Nespresso

For business leaders, 2019 was the year sustainability moved from the fringes to the mainstream. It is increasingly viewed as a core business consideration rather than a nice to have, shifting from middle management to C-Suite and board level.

Businesses have a huge role to play in reducing emissions, cutting waste and protecting the planet for future generations. But small actions can also be taken in the office, such as ensuring waste streams are properly managed, energy is used as efficiently as possible and products are sustainably sourced.  

Nespresso Professional offers a simple, sustainable coffee solution for offices. Its complimentary Bulk Recycling Program, where a recycling container is placed in the office, is a key part of the service. It means every aluminium capsule can be recycled at no cost to the customer.    

A Life Cycle Assessment into the carbon footprint of Nespresso’s aluminium coffee capsules and coffee system showed the product has a better environmental outcome than plastic coffee pods and some other coffee solutions. For example, Nespresso coffee capsules have a lower carbon footprint than filtered coffee when there is wastage or if the machine is inefficient. This is because Nespresso’s precision consumption system uses only the exact amount of coffee grounds, water and energy required to make one cup of coffee.

Some other methods of making a cup of coffee use more energy, coffee and water than needed, and some coffee gets wasted. Precision consumption prevents water wastage and used coffee grounds being sent to landfill instead of composted.   

The sustainability advantages that come with Nespresso’s service can benefit firms both large and small. For one large Australian company with an international presence, Nespresso has pioneered a service to help them reduce their coffee waste on a global scale. Because Nespresso recycling schemes exist in most markets around the world, corporate customers with international operations can work with Nespresso to ensure all their capsules are recycled.  

As well as having their capsules recycled, Nespresso Professional customers can have confidence that their coffee has been sustainably sourced. Working with the Rainforest Alliance, Nespresso pioneered the AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program to ensure its coffee has a positive impact on people and the planet.

As well as benefitting the planet, a proactive approach to sustainability helps workplaces meet the changing expectations of their workforce. Recent research revealed that 80% of Australians want to reduce what they send to landfill, with 75% worried about how our waste impacts the future of the planet.[1]

Getting involved in Planet Ark’s National Recycling Week is just one example of how businesses can drive positive change and boost morale in the workplace. While National Recycling Week is held during in November each year, businesses can access the National Recycling Week Workplace Activity Guide all year round. In the midst of a well-publicised waste crisis, it has never been more important for Australian businesses to take responsibility and do their bit for the environment. This is especially important for people in leadership roles, who have the power to make decisions that can deliver positive outcomes. 

Nespresso has taken a leading role in coffee capsule recycling in Australia and around the world. It has established its own recycling scheme in Australia, centred around a purpose-built facility in Nowra meaning Australian businesses that have a Nespresso Professional coffee offering know their used capsules are processed onshore. The aluminium is cleaned and sold back into metal markets and the used coffee grounds are turned into compost. In the spirit of collaboration and seeking to minimise waste, Nespresso recently invited other aluminium capsule manufacturers to participate in the scheme.

Such innovations are necessary if we are to move towards a more sustainable, waste-free world. Nespresso will continue to work with businesses to minimise their impact on the environment by ensuring their coffee consumption has a closed-loop, sustainable waste stream.

Find out how your workplace can become a collection point.

[1] Nestlé, Don’t Waste Your Waste Report