Demonstrating best practice and reducing environmental and social impacts are part of Nespresso's motivation to support a new global standard on aluminium.
Photo: Aluminium Stewardship Initiative Opportunities to demonstrate best practice and reduce environmental and social impacts are just some of the drivers that have motivated Nespresso to support a new global standard on aluminium, one of the world’s most abundant and recyclable metals.
As part of its corporate commitment to sustainability, Nespresso participated in the 2012 IUCN World Conservation Congress in Jeju, South Korea, where it announced it would join leaders from different sectors under the umbrella of the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) to create a new Performance Standard for the industry. The goal: to foster improved sustainability, transparency and governance throughout the entire aluminium value chain.
“We understand the responsibility that Nespresso has in creating a sustainable coffee economy. This means making our entire value chain sustainable and includes the aluminium coffee capsules we use,” said Christophe Boussemart, Sustainable Development Project Manager for Nespresso. “We are proud that our collaborative efforts with IUCN have contributed to the Aluminium Stewardship Initiative, which will ultimately benefit consumers, companies, local communities and the environment.”
A key turning point at the Congress was when some of the industrial leaders, including from Nespresso, AMAG, Amcor Flexibles, Constantia Flexibles, Constellium, Rio Tinto Alcan and Tetra Pak, called on organisations producing and using aluminium to join ASI. The companies also invited IUCN to host and coordinate the standard-setting process for the new ASI standard.
Taking the opportunity forward, IUCN convened a multi-stakeholder Standards Setting Group (SSG), which met over the next two years. In total, 14 industry leaders and 14 civil society representatives -- including IUCN Members Fauna & Flora International and Forest People Programme -- worked together to create the first-ever sustainability performance standard for the aluminium industry.
In December 2014, version 1.0 of the ASI Performance Standard was publicly released, which will now enable the industry to accredit sustainable material supplies based on comprehensive environmental, social and governance principles and criteria. After a piloting process, certified material is expected to be available by 2018.
Today, ASI is an independent organisation with 25 member companies, including Alcoa and UC RUSAL, along with several associations as well as IUCN and WWF International. In April 2016, ASI will hold its inaugural Annual General Meeting in Ingolstadt, Germany.
“Although Nespresso is a relatively small aluminium user, we expect our suppliers to adopt sustainable practices in all of our business areas. Our collaboration with IUCN has helped us accelerate this journey as well as engage with other sectors to improve the aluminium industry’s overall impact,” added Mr Boussemart.
At the IUCN World Conservation Congress 2016, ASI will be featured as an example of how business and conservation can work together to advance sustainable development. Business leaders and practitioners are expected to participate in the IUCN Congress Forum (1-5 September 2016), and the Business and Biodiversity Pavilion will feature more than 30 events with business and conservation partners.
