Globally, Nestlé remains one of the largest and most influential food and beverage companies. Over the years, this global brand has made significant strides toward embedding sustainability into its core business strategy. As part of its commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, Nestlé has aligned itself with the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) to ensure that its targets meet the latest climate science. The company is massively recognized globally for its efforts in regenerative agriculture, innovative packaging solutions, and carbon emissions reductions, among other sustainability touchpoints across its entire supply chain.
Technological innovation also plays a vital role in achieving these sustainability goals. Nestlé leverages AI to optimize supply chain logistics and reduce the carbon footprint of transportation, contributing to carbon reduction targets. Meanwhile, its investment in plant-based product lines supports sustainable diets by offering lower-emission alternatives to traditional animal-based foods. Nestlé also embraces waste-to-energy technologies, converting food waste to biogas that powers factory operations and contributes to renewable energy grids.
Nestlé’s dedication to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental stewardship is highlighted in its Sustainability Reports over the years, which reflect the company’s transparent and measurable progress toward creating shared value for both the environment and society.
Sharpening the focus from a global perspective to the country, Nestlé Nigeria’s sustainability policies and goals in 2025 are a comprehensive reflection of the global Nestlé commitment to climate-positive and socially responsible business practices. The company’s overarching ambition is aligned with the global target of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, focusing on reducing emissions across its entire supply chain while transitioning to renewable energy. Impressively, 66% of Nestlé’s global operations are already powered by renewable energy, with a target to reach 100% by 2025.
In packaging, Nestlé Nigeria is making significant headway in promoting a circular economy. The company has set a target of 100% recyclable or reusable packaging by 2025, with 85% already recyclable as of 2022. It has eliminated 350,000 metric tons of virgin plastic since 2018 through innovations, including paper-based, compostable, and biodegradable plastics, as well as increased usage of post-consumer recycled content. Importantly, Nestlé Nigeria actively partners with community-based recycling enterprises and runs employee programs to encourage plastic waste collection and recycling, having diverted over 61,000 metric tons of plastic waste from landfills since 2019.
This year, still in the recycling frontlines, Nestlé Nigeria launched a comprehensive Safety, Health, and Environment (SHE) Training Programme, empowering 100 plastic waste workers across Lagos and Abuja. This initiative was created to enhance the safety and well-being of these invaluable workers while empowering them and promoting their dignity within the plastics recycling value chain.
Supported by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the Recyclers Association of Nigeria (RAN), and the Food Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), the training encompassed essential topics such as best practices in occupational health and safety, responsible handling of recyclable materials, fire prevention and rescue techniques, and the proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Each participant received PPE kits to ensure safer working conditions, fostering a healthier environment for both workers and their communities.
Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications, Public Affairs, and Sustainability Lead for Nestlé Nigeria, articulated the company’s motivation for this initiative, highlighting Nestlé’s commitment to building a waste-free future and the recognition of the role that the waste workers play in bringing this vision to life.
“At Nestlé, we are committed to building a waste-free future and recognize the crucial role plastic waste workers play in reducing pollution and facilitating a circular economy. This training is a vital component of our support for this key stakeholder group, enhancing Nigeria’s waste management infrastructure. By equipping these essential workers with the necessary skills and knowledge, we help to improve their quality of life while increasing their employability and boost productivity within a sustainable waste management framework.”
At the opening ceremony in Abuja, Prof. Innocent Barikor, Director General of NESREA, praised Nestlé’s commitment to environmental sustainability, stating, “I commend Nestlé Nigeria Plc. for its commitment towards environmental sustainability and for prioritizing the health and safety of those at the frontline of waste management. Waste workers are often unrecognized yet play a crucial role in our national effort to combat plastic pollution in our environment. The focus on training waste workers is commendable, especially at a time when the world is seeking solutions to the prevailing challenges relating to plastic waste management”.
This unique initiative underscores the collective commitment of Nestlé Nigeria to environmental sustainability and generating positive social impact. By ensuring that plastic waste workers acquire the skills necessary for healthier, more productive lives, the company is deliberately contributing to a more sustainable circular economy
Another major pillar of Nestlé Nigeria’s sustainability approach is its strong advocacy for regenerative agriculture. This includes commitments to improve soil health, enhance water conservation, and promote biodiversity among the over 500,000 farmers globally engaged with Nestlé. Investments totaling CHF 1.2 billion by 2025 are aimed at scaling these practices, with 20% of Nestlé’s agricultural raw materials already sourced sustainably, moving toward an ambitious 50% sustainable sourcing goal by 2030.
Another area that Nestle Nigeria is deeply committed to is the promotion of nationwide clean-up and community sensitization campaigns.
Over the years, Nestlé Nigeria has consistently executed a nationwide clean-up campaign in partnership with the African Clean-Up Initiative (ACI) and local authorities. This year, this community-driven effort mobilized about 516 volunteers from Nestlé’s head office, branches, and factories, targeting strategic market hubs in 11 cities, including Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Ibadan, and Port Harcourt. The campaign successfully removed over 5,600 kilograms of solid waste and approximately 379 kilograms of recyclables. This initiative also reflects Nestlé’s broader vision of reducing plastic waste through internal and external stakeholder engagement. The company’s Employee Plastics Collection Scheme (EPCS), launched in 2022, further complemented the clean-up by diverting close to 6,000 kilograms of plastic from landfills. Cumulatively, since 2019, Nestlé Nigeria’s environmental efforts have retrieved over 61,000 metric tons of plastic from the environment.
In essence, Nestlé Nigeria’s sustainability trajectory demonstrates a holistic and forward-thinking model. It integrates ambitious environmental targets, community engagement, innovative technology, and circular economy principles, setting a benchmark for sustainable industry leadership in Nigeria and beyond. This ongoing commitment speaks to the company’s mission to create shared value for society and the planet, balancing economic viability with environmental responsibility and social equity.