Last October bazaar asked Julien Mario, Nespresso’s Regional Business Development Manager for Middle East and Africa about the possibility of implementing a capsule recycling program in Kuwait. The problem seemed so insurmountable, that it didn’t seem likely that we would see this very soon; the infrastructure was not in place, and Nespresso would have to invest from scratch. This would mean having to source or build the machines, find the right national partner and design a program which was easy to use and relevant locally. However, a mere six months later and Nespresso is now triumphantly introducing recycling across Kuwait with leading eco-industrial partner MRC.
There is a Gallic matter-of-factness about Nespresso’s Julien Mario, but also an earnestness that can only be trusted when he says, “[Recycling] is a priority for us”. Nespresso is walking the talk with a process for recycling your favorite premium coffee pod which puts aluminum back into use as other lifestyle items, including pens and the Pixie coffee machine. The recovered coffee grounds are to be used as compost on farmland producing dates in Kuwait. “It’s a nice story to tell and unexpected,” says Julien, talking about a red worm that loves dates but hates caffeine, “there will be a dual purpose, a very nice fertilizer and it will get rid of these pests!”
Talking of pests, humans are lazy. We give plenty of lip-service to environmental issues, and granted you cannot change what you do not acknowledge. But, we have only twelve years left to pull us back from a global warming precipice. What are the specific actions being taken which will lead to a long-term positive environmental impact? Nespresso has thought of what your pro-environment actions can be for you, and has made your role in recycling as easy as possible. You do not have to go one jot out of your way to be part of their initiative, which aims to have 100% recycling capability by 2020. “We can’t force people to recycle, but we can at least make sure that each market that is selling Nespresso is getting a recycle program”, expresses Julien determinedly. Saudi is coming next.
If you are in a Nespresso boutique tasting the new latest premium portion coffees or perusing new accessories, there are clearly designated collection points where you can place your used capsules. You can collect capsules at home or at your place of work in the specifically designed bags which can be ordered online or picked up in store. The bags themselves are fully recyclable, being made of PE-LD 04 plastic, and can hold approximately 100 capsules. You also have the option of returning your collected used capsules to Nespresso couriers when they deliver your next order. So, wherever you enjoy Nespresso, you can very easily be part of the recycling program. Given that one of the three pillars of Nespresso’s “Positive Cup” commitment to sustainability is a low carbon footprint, the fact that no customer has to drive anywhere to specifically go to a recycling point is well-considered, nor do couriers drive out to only pick up recycling. “We do reverse logistics,” explains Julien. “We never travel empty, so we pick up when we drop off.”
What is one immediate benefit to the customer, that we can expect to notice? There is absolutely no cost, not even for ‘business to business’ customers. The recycling bags for Nespresso Club members are issued completely free of charge at points of sale, be it through ecommerce or in retail outlets and you will see no absorption of the costs through raised prices. The costs covered by Nespresso of investing in people, farmland and the environment through the “AAA Sustainability Quality Programme” are significant, with over 200M CHF (KD 62 million) spent since 2015 on Nespresso’s sustainability commitment; a commitment that sits well alongside the UNDP Sustainable Development Goals. Proof positive that to “think global” you should “act local”.
As the consumption of Nespresso in Kuwait is sizeable and one of the highest per capita, bazaar asks Julien if Nespresso thinks it can influence the country’s environmental policies around responsible consumption in some way, and he immediately responds “I would love Nespresso to have an effect on the overall commitment.” He continues, “I think that when you are a leader in your field such as Nespresso, [a commitment to sustainability] is your obligation, and “Where are we on our sustainability journey?” is the first question we ask in meetings.”
It does not seem immediately obvious, that a lifestyle brand that services convenience and a throw-away culture, would be championing sustainability, and being confident to do so in such a well-planned way that it can take on the financial burden of its vision. But Nespresso has been doing this for decades with ‘Positive Cup’, Nespresso’s commitment to sustainability. While we may enjoy a product of privilege and constant innovation at the end point of “bean to cup”, and at the very beginning of the process Nespresso recognizes that they are dealing with farmers. These are people and communities who need investment in crops, land and education to continue producing high quality beans in a territory farmed to produce consistently over years to come.
This is one of the longest-term business strategies we have seen. Responsible sourcing gives customers the added value of drinking coffee that makes them feel like they’re doing something for the social good, and that, in itself, makes Nespresso’s viability more sustainable in the long term. On top of that, recycling and taking care of the waste produced further bolsters customers’ positive opinions of Nespresso. “If we don’t do it, we won’t be in business tomorrow” Julien acknowledges, but let’s be honest Nespresso’s corporate social responsibility was always groundbreaking and continues to be so. Many organizations like to be seen to be seen to be doing something about recycling. But Nespresso has a program which is easy to use, works, and is relevant locally through thorough and applied research. “We didn’t want to just talk about it’, states Julien. “We wanted to make sure that Positive Cup was bullet-proof.”
Nespresso Boutiques are located in Al Kout Mall, The Avenues and 360 Mall. To find out more on their sustainability commitment, products and services visit www.buynespresso.com. On Instagram follow @Nespresso and to shop now on Facebook go to @Nespresso.KWT.
All images by bazaar Studios. Featured image of Julien Mario is courtesy of Nespresso.
