Nestlé: Regenerative Agriculture, Packaging & Net Zero

Nestlé is one of the global market leaders in the food and beverage industry with brands including Nescafé, San Pellegrino and Rowntree’s.

The company distinguishes itself from rivals through its dedication to delivering on its sustainability pledges.

As a result of this commitment, Nestlé has been named the most sustainable food and beverage company and seventh overall in Sustainability Magazine’s Top 250 World’s Most Sustainable Companies 2025.

Nestlé’s Net Zero Roadmap

Nestlé has developed a Net Zero Roadmap which outlines its goal to reach net zero by 2050 at the latest.

It aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 compared to its baseline levels from 2018.

The roadmap includes plans for a regenerative food system which makes changes throughout the supply chain.

After streamlining its production processes, the company will balance out remaining emissions through natural climate solutions including reforestation.

Nestlé also plans to lower emissions by increasing the efficiency of its supply chain.

In 2018, 34.5% of Nestlé’s energy came from renewable sources. Building on this, it aims to reach 100% renewable energy by the end of 2025.

How Nestlé tackles packaging waste

Nestlé is aiming towards a circular economy by evolving its packaging.

Producing packaging can be a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, especially with single-use plastics which require significant energy to manufacture.

Nestlé has been developing new packaging solutions in its Institute of Packaging Sciences in Switzerland, the first of its kind in the food industry.

It aims to lead the shift from virgin plastics to food-grade recycled plastics which reduces the use of fossil-based derivatives.

Nestlé is also collecting and recycling or recovering as much plastic as it uses in 12 countries, tackling over 10% of its plastic usage.

This will help increase end of life recycling rates, tackle packaging waste and reduce the amount of raw materials used.

Antonia Wanner, Chief Sustainability Officer at Nestlé, says: “There is no one-size-fits-all approach to future-proofing our food systems.

“That said, investing in sustainable innovations, supporting local communities and empowering future generations of farmers is a strong direction to take toward a more resilient future.”

Using regenerative agriculture to cut emissions

Nestlé plans to utilise regenerative agriculture in its food production, promoting sustainable practices in livestock and crops.

Dairy and livestock is the largest single source of Nestlé’s emissions. 

To combat this, it aims to strengthen its programmes with livestock farmers to restore land and absorb more carbon in the atmosphere.

It is investing in climate and nature research that will help develop climate-resilient farming communities.

Through initiatives like this, the company encourages farmers to feed livestock with sustainable feed sourced from regenerative agriculture practices which can help avoid deforestation and reduce carbon impact.

Nestlé says it is committed to working with its farmers and suppliers to enhance biodiversity and limit greenhouse gas emissions.

This includes avoiding and eliminating deforestation and conserving natural habitats.

It also plans to plant hundreds of millions of trees to promote agroforestry and reforestation.

Nestlé is encouraging farmers to plant more shade trees to protect crops such as coffee and cocoa from harsh weather conditions.

Shade trees can improve water management and biodiversity as well as absorbing carbon from the atmosphere.

Nestlé also aims to improve practices such as cover cropping, crop rotation and use of organic fertilisers which support nutrient and water uptake and restore the soil’s carbon content.

This improves soil health and makes the land more productive, contributing to more sustainable agricultural practices.

Antonia says: “I am highly motivated to advance our regeneration agenda, to make a positive difference for people and planet.”