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Going for net zero

Oceania CEO: Our next 30 years of sustainability.
Net Zero
Yery Mendoza
By Sandra Martinez, Oceania CEO

We have all witnessed the impact of the climate crisis right on our doorstep over the past years. As Nestlé releases its Climate Roadmap today, I am proud to say that in Oceania, Nestlé is ready to step up to the challenge and accelerate our work to improve our future on this critical front. We are ready to not only embrace the new, better normal but help shape it. 

Tackling climate change can’t wait, so neither will we. As a signatory of the UN ‘Business Ambition for 1.5°C’ pledge, Nestlé is one of the first companies to share its detailed, time-bound plan, and to do so ahead of schedule. Together we will halve our greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and reach net zero no later than 2050.

At Nestlé we are driven to do what we do out of respect; respect for the environment in which we operate and for our people, present and future. My teams across Oceania will often hear me say, we need to be brave not perfect. This notion has never been truer when it comes to climate action. 

We must act with urgency, but as well, this is not the time for short term action. We know what we want to achieve in the next 30 years, and while the path to get there may not be clear cut, decisive and brave action will help us to live up to our purpose.

I feel extremely fortunate to work for a company that doesn’t just have the scale to make a difference in the world, but even more importantly, has the ambition to do it. Nestlé has the size and reach to make a big difference. As part of the global effort, we will continue to build upon our progress, transform our business and use our resources to accelerate our path to a more sustainable future.

Prioritising renewable in manufacturing and operations

Across its operations, Nestlé expects to complete the transition of its 800 sites in the 187 countries where it operates to 100% renewable electricity within the next five years.  

In Australia, more than 60 per cent of the energy powering our Nescafé factory in regional Queensland comes from renewable bioenergy sources, including used coffee grounds leftover from making Nescafé. In the NSW mid north coast, more than 80 per cent of our Milo factory’s power comes from using sawdust waste from a local timber mill. Nationally, we are working towards renewable electricity for all our Australian sites – factories, offices, boutiques and distribution centres.

Transforming our product portfolio

Your morning coffee will soon be greener than you think! Nestlé is increasing the number of 'carbon neutral' brands it offers to give consumers the opportunity to contribute to the fight against climate change. The first in the Australian market is Nespresso’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2022. 

We are also growing and investing in a plant-based future. Food innovation and the plant-based movement is driven by our desire to limit our impact on the environment and enhance the quality of life of Aussie families. We were excited to launch Harvest Gourmet, a range of plant-based meat alternatives, while also giving old favourites a plant-based spin with Nescafé Gold Plant-Based Latte sachet range and Milo Plant Based. 

Evolving our Packaging

Transforming how we make, use and recycle packaging can play an important role in our journey to net zero. Nestlé continues to make progress on its efforts to make 100% of its packaging reusable or recyclable, which will significantly reduce its greenhouse gas emissions footprint.  

Along with working with our own packaging, we want to help increase end-of-life recycling rates to tackle packaging waste and reduce the amount of raw materials we use. 

This year, Nestlé and Australian recycler iQ Renew commenced a trial which will see soft plastics collected through kerbside recycling and diverted from landfill. With most post-consumer soft plastic going to landfill, the trial aims to find ways to collect household soft plastic and turn it into a resource. The trial has commenced with 2,000 households on the NSW Central Coast, with plans to extend it to around 140,000 homes.

Using our voice
 
We know that we cannot achieve net zero alone. We will continue working with local suppliers, industry, employees, consumers, governments, NGOs and communities where we operate, to forge new and deeper levels of engagement on climate issues. We will use our voice for good, to help forge a brighter, greener future for all.