Nestlé Headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland
Nestlé Headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland. Photo: Nestlé
Swiss food and drinks goliath Nestlé has set a target to acheive zero carbon emissions, in line the the aims of the Paris Agreement.
The Zurich-based owner of KitKat, Maggi noodles, Perrier, and Häagen-Dazs, to name a few, is seeking to meets the objective by 2050 and has also said that it will sign up to the 'Business Ambition for 1.5°C' pledge ahead of the UN Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit this month.
In a statement, Nestlé said that "Over the past four years, [it] has aligned its objectives with science-based targets to keep the temperature increase below 2°C."
Laying out its short-term plan, the statement continued: "Over the next two years, it will lay out a time-bound plan including interim targets consistent with the 1.5°C path."
Some of the key components of the plan include:"Speeding up the transformation of its products in line with consumer trends and choices; Scaling up initiatives in agriculture to absorb more carbon; and Using 100% renewable electricity"
"Climate change is one of the biggest threats we face as a society. It is also one of the greatest risks to the future of our business," said Mark Schneider, Nestlé CEO.
"We are running out of time to avoid the worst effects of global warming. That is why we are setting a bolder ambition to reach a net-zero future. Deploying Nestlé’s global resources and industry know-how, we know we can make a difference at significant scale. Our journey to net zero has already started. Now, we are accelerating our efforts," he added.
The company has said that it will launch more products with a better environmental footprint and contribute to a balanced diet, including more plant-based food and beverage options. It will also reformulate products to incorporate more climate-friendly ingredients.
In terms of agriculture and the environment, Nestlé says that it will work with farmers to restore land and limit greenhouse gas emissions, along with improving management of its dairy supply chain. The company said it will also increase its efforts to protect forests by replanting trees and enhancing biodiversity.
At present Nestlé operates 143 factories, a third of which are already using 100% renewable energy, it said. The company says it will continue to increase usage of renewable sources of electricity.
Having supportive legislation in place could "help to reduce barriers to expanding renewable energy markets, incentivise innovation in the agriculture and forestry sectors to capture more carbon, and help to establish carbon pricing," Nestlé added.
"We will need our suppliers to embark on this journey with us," said Magdi Batato, executive vice president and head of operations at Nestlé. "The task is huge but we are determined to make it happen."
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