CSR Story

WITH THE PLANET IN MIND

NESTLÉ AIMS FOR ZERO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT BY 2030

 

In October of 2018, the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturing Association awarded Nestlé winner of the prestigious Green Manufacturer of the Year Award, recognising the company for its leadership role in the employment of green technologies in manufacturing and its success in positively contributing to the sustainability of both the environment and Trinidad and Tobago. The win is hardly surprising as Nestlé was the first company in the Caribbean to install an Effluent Waste Water Treatment Plant at its factory in Valsayn back in the 1980s, reflecting its long term commitment to environmental sustainability.

 

Since then Nestlé has made significant strides in how the company interacts with and protects the natural environment. Nestlé’s attention to environmental preservation and responsible management of scarce resources is integral to its operations. Nestlé employees are committed to continuous improvement in operational efficiencies and they collaborate with and encourage customers in initiatives that foster environmental awareness.

 

The company’s environmental management system identifies all areas of Nestlé’s impact on the environment — and responsive programmes and activities are developed and implemented to manage and mitigate all such impacts.

 

Nestlé’s environmental stewardship spans the Anglo-Dutch Caribbean region, and falls under a stated commitment — “For the Planet” — with activities in five key areas:

  • Managing Waste
  • Managing Energy Usage
  • Minimizing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
  • Achieving Water Efficiency and Sustainability
  • Changing Behaviours

 

Managing Waste: Nestlé is on target to achieve ZERO Waste to Landfill by 2021: In 2018, its Jamaica distribution centre achieved zero waste to landfill and 90% of the packaging used on the Trinidad compound was sent for recycling. Among the company’s waste management programmes is a recycling programme that reduces waste-to-landfill by compacting Tetra Pak, PET and cardboard waste using specialised equipment at the factory site; the waste is then collected by a specialist recycler for reprocessing. Recycled Tetra Pak material is used for a variety of applications from household items to roofing materials.

 

The implementation of a new Sludge Belt Press Filter in Trinidad in 2016 has also led to a drastic 46% reduction in waste to landfill. Everything is put to good use: Sludge waste is transformed into fertiliser and used by the local dairy farms that provide Nestlé with fresh milk daily, while other liquid waste is provided to local pig farmers as feed for their animals in Nestlé’s Animal Feeding programme.

 

These large-scale environmental initiatives are complemented by a number of smaller programmes which combine to make a significant difference, ranging from internal recycling programmes for employee waste management and composting programmes for on-site canteens, to the elimination of single-use plastics from all areas of operations, including marketing events and staff services operations.

 

Managing Energy Usage: Nestlé measures and monitors its energy usage on a continuous basis, with the goal of achieving year-on-year reductions via specific programmes. The company’s Jamaica Solar Project, now 100% complete, will ultimately offset up to 40% of Nestlé’s load from the utility grid, and it’s estimated that the indirect benefits from the use of solar energy will amount to the elimination of 1,290,000 kg of carbon emissions. Additionally, a project started in 2016 to reduce energy consumption by changing fluorescent lighting fixtures to LED lighting fixtures has now achieved 100% compliance in Jamaica and has achieved a 40% changeover in Trinidad.

 

Improving equipment efficiencies is also an important area of focus for Nestlé in its drive to conserve energy. The company has achieved a reduction in Compressed Air Outlet Pressure from 110Psi to 95Psi at its factory, generating an energy saving of 4860 kW/hr, and 0.6% savings of total electrical energy consumption per month. It has also improved Boiler Efficiency, resulting in a 3% savings of total fuel energy consumption per month, and has optimised its Ammonia plant’s compressors with an estimated energy saving of 33,034 KW/hr, a 12% reduction in energy usage for this area. Minimizing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Nestlé has implemented a programme to continuously reduce emissions generated by plant activity and the consequent impact on the environment. Every two years, an independent external specialist reviews key parameters, including emissions, to identify areas for improvement. This approach has paid off — between 2016 to 2018 the company achieved a 14% decrease in GHG emissions. One reason for this is Nestlé’s commitment to using natural refrigerants which do not harm the ozone layer and have a negligible impact on climate change. In 2016, all of the company’s ice cream chests, upright and island freezers were reconfigured or replaced to use natural refrigerants. All of the company’s new refrigerated trucks use natural refrigerants.

 

Achieving Water Efficiency & Sustainability: The direct use of good-quality water is vital for Nestlé’s operations. The company uses water at its Caribbean manufacturing hub in Trinidad to perform functions ranging from reconstituting ingredients to extraction, cooling and cleaning. As part of its commitment to the environment, Nestlé has continuously improved water efficiency and sustainability performance across operations in recent years, and this remains a significant focus area for the company.

 

Among the initiatives to improve water efficiency at its factory are:

  • The Homogenizer Soft Water Recovery initiative – a Tetra Pak system designed to reuse lubrication water, with an estimated savings of 212m3 of soft water per month and a reduction in soft water usage of 20%;
  • An Aseptic Tank Water Recovery system, which recovers water used during pre-sterilization and reduces potable water usage by 17%;
  • The introduction of a system to use effluent water from a Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP) for operation of the factory’s belt press filter, resulting in a 10% reduction in potable water usage.

 

Meanwhile at the Jamaica distribution centre, a Waste Water Treatment Plant effluent is used to irrigate the lawns and beds.

Changing Behaviours: Nestlé has forged collaborative partnerships with both employees and consumers, particularly in the area of volunteerism, to drive behavioural change, getting buy-in through campaigns that highlight environmental issues. Some of these efforts are simple but tremendously effective — like the 2018 BYOB (Bring your own Bowl/Bottle) program at the company’s canteens, which led to the removal of all single use plastic containers and cutlery, making Nestlé’s canteens plastic free.

 

More complex, but equally important, is the ongoing implementation of an internal recycling programme across the site, with new bins to separate waste in offices. These internal activities are complemented by volunteer events where Nestlé teams up with schools to plant grow boxes, upgrade a park and a river with new recycling bins, and undertake beach clean-ups.

 

Nestlé is the world’s — and the Caribbean’s — leading Nutrition, Health and Wellness company. It strives to enhance the quality of life for consumers everywhere with tasty, nutritious and healthy food and beverages. But the job doesn’t end there: Nestlé recognises that the consumer’s sense of well-being requires that its products are made in a caring and responsible way that preserves the environment for future generations. This is why Nestlé’s global ambition is “to achieve zero environmental impact in its operations by 2030.” Concrete milestones and the ongoing commitment of all employees make this goal achievable!