Le Thi Hoai Thuong, senior corporate affairs manager, Nestlé Vietnam

These were the sentiments of Le Thi Hoai Thuong, senior corporate affairs manager of Nestlé Vietnam at the 2023 Sustainable Development Conference hosted by VIR in Hanoi on November 16.

Nestlé has committed to achieving Net Zero by 2050, a goal based on scientific calculations that determine the areas responsible for the most emissions areas and provide solutions. According to Nestle's calculations, 70 per cent of Nestlé's greenhouse gas emissions come from sourcing ingredients. As the world's largest food and beverage corporation, Nestlé has more than 2,000 brands and a presence in 186 countries.

“This is why we focus on the supply chain. For example, as the largest coffee buyer in Vietnam, we have collaborated with regulatory bodies, agricultural extension centres, and farmers to implement agricultural programmes with a farmer-centric approach," said Thuong.

"We have connected with 21,000 farming households and accompanied them in the process of replanting coffee trees. We have supported the replanting of more than 63 million coffee trees in the Central Highlands, as well as conducted measurement tests for low-emission farming. We apply digital technology to calculate input and output effectively, so farmers can experience the effectiveness of changing farming practices," she added.

Since 2020, Nestlé has decided that its sustainable development strategy will not stop at 'sustainable' goals and actions. The strategy should take a comprehensive approach towards the regeneration of natural ecosystems, and should support and align with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

A representative from Nestlé Vietnam receives a medal and flowers from VIR for the company's contribution to sustainable development in Vietnam

For instance, Nestlé's factories convert coffee grounds into fuel to replace diesel and unburnt bricks to provide construction materials. While businesses cannot eliminate packaging entirely, Nestlé is hoping to achieve the best circularity practices in the food industry. The company has developed an outreach programme to reduce, reuse, and recycle packaging. The group also owns the Nestlé Institute of Packaging Sciences in Switzerland to design recyclable packaging.

By the end of 2021, the company had replaced plastic straws with paper straws on all Nestlé instant drink products. In addition, nearly 90 per cent of the company's product packaging has been designed to be recyclable and reusable. These positive changes helped reduce nearly 2,400 tons of plastic waste from the environment in 2021 and 2022.

According to Thuong, businesses like Nestlé must cooperate with relevant stakeholders to be able to go further and be more sustainable. For example, Nestlé Vietnam is a member of the Vietnam Packaging Recycling Alliance and organised Environment Day with the help of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and Hanoi Department of Education and Training.