From developing our first prototype in the 1970s to The Positive Cup strategy of today, we have been learning how to integrate sustainability into our business. Looking to the future, we are seeking ever closer alignment of our ambitions and goals with the Sustainable Development Goals – the global priorities towards 2030.
1970s
Prototypes of the first system to deliver barista-quality coffee at home are developed


1986
Our revolutionary system of portioned coffee was born with machines and capsules designed to deliver an exceptional cup of coffee
1991
The first Nespresso capsule recycling programme is introduced in Switzerland with 34 collection points


1993
Nespresso joins the collective recycling system in Germany with the support of Duales System Deutschland
2003
Designed to improve farm practices and promote the supply of sustainable quality coffee, the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program is launched, in collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance


2005
A detailed lifecycle assessment of a cup of Nespresso highlights the relative significance of Scope 3 – emissions that occur within our value chain but that are not owned or controlled by Nespresso
2009
Launch of Ecolaboration™ in which we set out our plan for creating shared value:
- 80% AAA coffee sourcing
- 75% capsule collection capacity
- -20% GHG emission/cup


2013
Inaugural meeting of the Nespresso Sustainability Advisory Board to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program
2014
Launch of The Positive Cup and a commitment to invest CHF 500m in positive impact


2015
Nespresso launches the Vertuo system – providing additional sustainable consumption opportunities with long-cup, high-quality coffee at the touch of a button
2016
The launch of the Nespresso Sustainability Innovation Fund (NSIF): USAID and the World Bank become the first partners to join the Fund


2017
The first Creating Shared Value report is published in accordance with GRI Sustainability Reporting Guidelines, is launched
2022
20 YEARS OF THE NESPRESSO SUSTAINABLE QUALITY™ PROGRAM
30 YEARS OF RECYCLING
Nespresso becomes a B Corp™ certified company


BY 2025
REGENERATE LANDSCAPES
80% of our green coffee volume will be rated bronze on the Rainforest Alliance Regenerative Coffee Scorecard
10 biodiversity priority areas, representing over 60% of the area managed under the AAA Program (in hectares), will have an action plan in place
EMPOWER COMMUNITIES
We aim to scale the Living Income Reference Price with Fairtrade International implemented in all AAA farms in Colombia, Peru, Indonesia, Mexico and Guatemala
ADVANCE CIRCULARITY
Our aim is that at least 10% of our machine sales will be refurbished machines
We aim to achieve a global capsule recycling rate of 50%6
We aim to reach Circulytics™ rating A-
INSPIRE COLLECTIVE ACTION
By 2025, we will have invested more than CHF 1 billion in Positive Cup initiatives8
Renew B Corp™ certification with a B Impact score ≥909
BY 2030
DECARBONISE THE VALUE CHAIN
We plan to reduce our GHG emissions by 50% vs the 2018 baseline1 through regenerative agriculture, innovation in products and systems, and energy efficiency
We aim to achieve net-zero emissions in AAA green coffee production2
REGENERATE LANDSCAPES
Source 95% Regenerative Coffee4
EMPOWER COMMUNITIES
We aim to achieve Fair Labor Association accreditation across AAA origins
All AAA smallholder farmers receive the Living Income Reference Price5
ADVANCE CIRCULARITY
Circulytics™ rating A7
BY 2035
Net zero3
OUR PAST IMPACT
INSPIRES THE FUTURE

1. Business as usual
2. Coffee cultivation in farm and post-harvest treatment (cherry processing)
3. We are aligned and contribute to the Nestlé SBTi-approved target of net zero by 2050 and are looking for ways to accelerate to 2035 at the earliest, in line with the SBTi. We aim to submit our net-zero targets for SBTi approval in 2023
4. By 2030, we aim that 95% of our green coffee volume will be rated bronze on the Rainforest Alliance Regenerative Coffee Scorecard, out of which 70% will be rated gold
5. In origins where the LIRP has been established by Fairtrade International and the majority of AAA coffee farmers are smallholder
6. In dedicated and collective systems
7. Pending evolution of Circulytics™ standards; Circulytics™ is an assessment tool developed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation that allows companies to measure circularity across their entire operations
8. Projected cumulative investment in The Positive Cup, 2014–2025
9. Pending evolution of B Lab standards