Our Eco Reduction Process

We are committed to the sustainable management of our manufacturing operations. To us, this means reducing the energy and water used by our factories, distribution centres and offices, reducing waste across our business and minimising the impacts of our packaging.

The ‘Nestlé Eco Reduction Program’ is our key initiative and ensures we are closely measuring our performance and impacts and establishing targets which drive reductions in our energy, water and waste consumption.

In Oceania, all sites are required to develop annual Eco Reduction Plans to reduce energy and water usage and decrease waste generation, and to report on progress. These plans are reviewed monthly to ensure targets are being achieved. Achievements are shared across the business to improve performance and results are recognised through our annual Environment Awards.

In 2008, over 491 tangible efficiency actions were identified across our operations. Of this, over 200 individual water, energy and waste reduction actions have so far been implemented. Reflecting the nature of many resource efficiency projects and to drive greater investment, we also have relaxed our payback period for these projects from two to four years.

Our Eco Reduction Plans identified around 200 specific energy efficiency actions across our factories. Of this, 72 actions have so far been implemented. This included a range of technical and cultural projects, including but not limited to:

optimising the energy efficiency of our air conditioning systems;
improving energy efficiency of vacuum pumps in our confectionery and
culinary operations;
optimisation of refrigeration systems;
reduction in the use of compressed air;
turning off lights which are not required.

Nestlé Oceania Environmental Policy

Nestlé Oceania respects the environment and is committed to environmentally sound business practices. These principles are outlined in the Oceania Region Environmental Policy which reflects the global Nestlé Policy on the Environment. All Nestlé Oceania employees are required to comply with the policy and play their part in protecting the environment.

To fulfil this commitment Nestlé Oceania has sought to do the following:

Integrate environmental principles, programs and practices into the operations of each of its factories, distribution centres and offices.
Strive for continuous improvement in environmental performance through the application of the Nestlé Environmental Management System (NEMS). This is the framework used to manage environmental aspects of Nestlé's operations in the Oceania Region and is designed to be compatible with the international standard (ISO14001).
Provide appropriate information, communication and training to build employee understanding of Nestlé's commitment to the environment.

Although Nestlé aims to comply with applicable environmental legislation, the Company does more than just this. We continue to look for new ways to not only minimise waste, pollution and packaging, and save energy and resources, but to address these concerns early in the product and packaging design processes. We encourage our employees to take a personal stake, through their own actions, in sound environmental management. In the same way, Nestlé takes a personal stake in the communities in which it operates. The application of the Nestlé Environmental Policy throughout our operations forms an essential part of the Nestlé Corporate Business Principles and enables us to contribute to sustainable development. In short, we seek to find ways to meet the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Download the Nestle Oceania Region Environmental Policy ()

Global Commitment

Commitment to the environment is not new to Nestlé: for more than half a century our engineers have pioneered environmental work the world over. (FACT: Our first waste water treatment plant was built at our Kemptthal factory in Switzerland in 1932) Nestlé was founded in 1867 on the shores of Lake Geneva in Vevey, Switzerland. One hundred and thirty-seven years later, our headquarters are still in Vevey, surrounded by the Swiss Alps in one of the world's best-preserved environmental settings. As we have grown from humble beginnings into the world's largest food company, we have attempted to take the fundamental cultural values of environmental preservation and cleanliness into every country where we operate.

Nestlé has reported publicly on its continuous improvement in its environmental performance globally in The Nestlé Environment Progress Report 2000. In addition, Nestlé released its first Corporate Sustainability Review in early 2002. Clear progress has been made in a number of key areas, including a significant decline in the amounts of water and energy used to bring each kilo of Nestlé products into consumers' homes, and a similar reduction in factors which potentially affect global warming. However, Nestlé is never completely satisfied with its current performance, and is committed to further environmental improvements. Nestlé remains sensitive to the environmental concerns of our consumers and the public as a whole.