Beirut, 2 June 2019: Nestlé Middle East has since 2010 achieved a 42% reduction in water withdrawal per ton of product, a 34% decrease in energy consumption, and 28% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, while its production went up by 68%. The company has also achieved Zero waste for disposal at its food manufacturing sites in the region.
The announcement, made on World Environment Day which is commemorated since 1974 every June 5th, “is in line with our commitment to steward resources for future generations through caring for water, safeguarding the environment and acting on climate change, and helps us fulfill our purpose of Enhancing Quality of Life and Contributing to a Healthier Future,” said Siva Kumar, Regional Safety, Health, & Environment Manager at Nestlé Middle East.
One example of how this is done is through Nestlé Middle East manufacturing sites installing nearly 28,000 solar PV panels, thus reducing at least six million kilograms of CO2 emissions annually, which is the equivalent of eliminating the carbon emissions of nearly 1,500 passenger cars for one year, or the energy consumption of 800 homes annually*.
Research and multi-sectoral partnerships are also being developed, with recent examples including the creation of the Nestlé Institute of Packaging Science to evaluate and develop new sustainable packaging material and solutions in collaboration with academia, supplier, startups, and others. This will ensure all of the company’s packaging across the world is recyclable or reusable by 2025.
Nestlé is playing an active role in developing plastics collection, sorting and recycling schemes across the region, where it’s contributing to industry coalitions that aim to create circular economies within countries, recycling and reusing in a manner that creates shared value for all involved.
About Nestlé Middle East
Nestlé Middle East’s heritage goes back over 80 years to 1934 when the first import operation was set up in Lebanon. Today, Nestlé Middle East owns and operates 18 factories and provides direct employment to more than 13,000 employees who are all committed to Nestlé’s purpose of enhancing quality of life and contributing to a healthier future. It also provides indirect employment to several thousand more.
The Nestlé portfolio in the region currently exceeds 60 innovative product brands in a wide range of categories: dairy products and infant nutrition, bottled water, chocolate and confectionery, coffee creamers, breakfast cereals, culinary products, health science, skin health, and Pet Care, among others. Nestlé Nido, Nestlé NAN, S-26, Progress, Maggi, Nescafé, Kit Kat, Coffeemate, Nestlé Cerelac, Nestlé Fitness, Nestlé Pure Life, Nespresso, Optifast and Cetaphil are just some of the brands available in the Middle East.