Nestlé Nespresso has expanded its AAA Sustainable Quality Program by launching a series of new socio-economic and environmental initiatives in Switzerland.
Developed ten years ago in co-operation with the Rainforest Alliance, AAA Program aims to secure quality coffee while improving sustainable farming practices and enhancing farmer welfare.
Nespresso aims to increase its coffee sourcing from farmers of the AAA Sustainable program to 80% by the end of 2013 from the current 70% through 52,000 farmers.
Several new initiatives were unveiled to support the economic and environmental sustainability of coffee-farming communities in Africa and Latin America from where it sources some of its Grands Crus.
The initiatives include extending its AAA Program to smallholder farmers in Ethiopia and Kenya with the aim of doubling the amount of coffee it sources from the two countries to 10,000 tons by 2020.
The company will partner with local governments and non-profit organization TechnoServe to improve coffee sustainability at farm level.
It will revive coffee production in South Sudan through a partnership with TechnoServe to benefit thousands of smallholder farmers.
Nespresso will introduce a pilot program in partnership with Fairtrade International to support farmers and their families in Colombia as a part of its AAA Program.
The company will continue to work towards bringing all its coffee farmers into the AAA Program and increase the number of farmers who obtain Rainforest Alliance certification.
It will partner with Rainforest Alliance and Pur Projet, a conservation organization, to expand the agro-forestry element of the AAA Program.
The aim is to help farmers to increase their investment in harvestable trees or shrubs that can be grown among or around coffee crops as a means of preserving or enhancing the productivity of the land.
Nestlé Nespresso chief executive officer Jean-Marc Duvoisin said: "Their insight and independent perspectives will help advance our sustainability efforts and will ensure we remain focused on initiatives that will have a positive overall impact on the environment and social aspects of our value chain."
