GUILLAUME LE CUNFF
CEO Zone Europe,
Nestlé;
Former CEO Nespresso
A SIMPLE IDEA
A simple idea we take for granted today was revolutionary some 30 years ago. The idea that we should all be able to enjoy a perfect coffee at home, as if it were lovingly prepared by a barista.
I wasn’t part of those early beginnings. But they inspire me even now since the same notion lies at the heart of everything we seek to offer consumers today: a unique coffee experience.
A UNIQUE COFFEE EXPERIENCE
When I say experience, I include all the elements that combine together to make up the pleasure in every cup. The innovative design of our machines. The ease of preparation. The unique flavours of the coffee. The hospitable way people are treated in our boutiques. The convenience of capsule recycling.
All these are integral to that overall experience.
And this excludes arguably the most important of all – the role of coffee farmers. Without them, there is no experience.
FARMERS ARE AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING
Economic instability and climate change mean that these farmers, overwhelmingly smallholders, face challenges to their livelihoods. We play a leading role in mitigating these through the AAA Sustainable Quality™ Program, launched in partnership with the Rainforest Alliance in 2003. Crop after crop, we help create favourable conditions that enable consistent high quality and higher productivity – and thereby higher income for farmers – using sustainable farming practices.
CONNECTING FARMERS
TO THE EXPERIENCE
Helping consumers to understand how these sustainable practices in far-away coffee communities are in tune with their own at-home efforts to lead more sustainable lifestyles can have a powerful effect.
The Choices We Make, our of our advertising campaigns, is one way we’re helping to forge these connections.
But this is just one example.
LIVING THROUGH
SUSTAINABLE CHOICES
We want to play our part in making sustainable choices – whether in consumption or production – less a choice and more a decision about how we lead our lives.
We recognise that this is a bold intention. It means bringing forward new ideas, circular thinking and collective actions. It means aligning our vision with those of the UN SDGs. It means engaging as many people as possible in the issues that ultimately affect us all.
INNOVATION AS
THE WAY FORWARD
I’m proud that we’re already making positive strides in this direction: deploying solutions such as initiating agroforestry coffee cultivation, reviving coffee production in post-conflict areas, the first pension savings plan for smallholders and driving the circular use of aluminium.
All of these activities play their part in delivering the overall Nespresso experience. And as you can see, sustainability is increasingly inherent in every constituent part.
We do all this work recognising that there is still a long road ahead. We are more than happy to hear new ideas and opportunities to improve and we hope you’ll join us on our journey by discovering more on The Positive Cup Hub.
Article published in: May 2019.
