By Eberechi Obinagwam
Nigeria faces significant environmental crises, chief among them climate change which has resulted in increased flooding and changes in rainfall patterns. The impact has been heavy on households.
According to the United Nations Office for Humanitarian Affairs, in 2024, over one million Nigerians were impacted by relentless rains, leading to widespread displacement, loss of lives, and destruction of homes and livelihoods in 31 states of the country.
In a country where environmental degradation is a pressing concern, Nestle Nigeria is pioneering innovative solutions to make the environment safer for all.
Nestle Nigeria’s Environmental Efforts
In support of several environmental sustainability initiatives of the Nigerian government, Nestle Nigeria kick-started a tree-planting project under the Nestlé Cares initiative. Employees volunteered to plant 1,000 trees at the Nestle Dairy Demonstration Farm in Abuja, in collaboration with Convention for Business Integrity Innovations Nigeria Limited (CBiIL). This tree-planting project contributes to Nestlé’s global mission of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and help mitigate the impact of climate change.
Nestle Cares initiative was launched in 2019 as a global employee volunteer platform that provides opportunities for employees to act on their commitment to environmental stewardship.
Ministry of Environment’s Initiatives
Nestle’s tree planting initiative finds support from Balarabe Abbas Lawal’s leadership in the Ministry of Environment which announced the ambitious plan to focus on innovative strategies for environmental re-engineering, driving job creation, poverty eradication, food security, and sustainable economic development. Dr. Iziaq Kunle Salako, Minister of State for Environment recently announced that the ministry launched the “Plant a Tree” initiative, aiming to plant 25 million trees in three years.
Benefits of Tree Planting
Trees absorb about 20KG of carbon dioxide annually, contributing to carbon sequestration, thereby limiting the impact of greenhouse effect, which is the trigger for flooding and changing rain patterns. The planted trees fortify the ecosystem, increase its resilience and act as solid windbreakers, thereby safeguarding the well-being of animals on the farm.
Nestle’s employees become climate heroes
During Nestle’s tree-planting ceremony, Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications, Public Affairs, and Sustainability Lead at the firm emphasized that,”every year, hundreds of Nestlé employees from around the country generously donate their time and talents to activities that positively impact local communities and the planet.” She added, “By planting a thousand trees today, we are collectively demonstrating our commitment to climate action, both as individuals and as one Nestlé.”
The initiative also received support from the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA). Hajia Umma Abubakar, Director of Animal Husbandry Services, praised the collaborative effort, saying, “We are thrilled to witness the collaborative efforts of Nestlé Nigeria and CBiIL volunteers in planting 1,000 trees. This initiative aligns perfectly with our vision for environmental conservation and demonstrates the power of collective action in building a sustainable future.”
Other environmental efforts by Nestlé
Nestlé has a project on plastics neutrality, an initiative designed to tackle plastic pollution. The company is committed to making 100% of its packaging reusable or recyclable by 2025. To achieve this goal, Nestlé is focusing on three key areas:
Nestlé Pure Life Bottles Made from 50% Recycled PET
-Designing sustainable packaging: Nestlé is redesigning its packaging to be more sustainable, using materials that are recyclable and reducing plastic use where possible.
-Eliminating unnecessary packaging: The company is eliminating unnecessary packaging and encouraging reuse wherever possible.
-Encouraging recycling and waste management: Nestlé is working with partners to improve recycling infrastructure and promote waste management practices.
Also, Nestlé supports the Global Plastic Treaty, a landmark agreement aimed at ending plastic pollution. This treaty brings together governments, businesses, and civil society to address the global plastic pollution crisis.
Nestlé’s plastics neutrality project is part of its broader sustainability strategy, which includes goals to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and reduce waste across its operations and supply chain.
On Green energy transition, Nestlé has achieved a net reduction of 13.5% of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2023 compared to its 2018 baseline, while continuing to grow its business over the same period. This included delivering a reduction of more than 15.3% in methane emissions. The company has successfully decoupled its growth from its emissions and is on track to reach a 20% absolute reduction of GHG emissions by 2025.
Regenerative agriculture at Nestlé
Nestlé is investing CHF 1.2 billion by 2025 to spark regenerative agriculture across its supply chain.
The company developed the Nestlé Regenerative Agriculture Framework, guided by agro-ecological principles and practices in 2022. It is a holistic model that considers healthy, organically rich soil as a nexus to protect and restore land.
Water conversation
Nestlé promotes and works with suppliers and farmers to implement better water management practices in water-stressed areas. This aims to protect watersheds and helps to go beyond the conservation of water to help regenerate water resources in the areas where they operate and source ingredients.
They also work together with local and global stakeholders to address shared watershed challenges.
Nestlé Nigeria has made significant strides in environmental sustainability, demonstrating its commitment to creating a better future for generations to come.
School pupils making use of water provided by Nestle Nigeria at one of the schools in Abuja
Nestle has achieved reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 33.2% per tonne of product since 2007, transition to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, implementation of climate-smart cocoa practices, benefiting smallholder farmers, sustainable distribution initiatives, including gas-powered vehicles and innovative waste reduction and management systems.
Looking ahead, Nestlé Nigeria aims to achieve 100% renewable electricity in its operations, expand climate-smart agriculture practices to more farmers, increase waste reduction and recycling efforts and develop sustainable packaging solutions.
Environmental Sustainability
Antonia Wanner, Group Head of ESG Strategy and Deployment at Nestlé said: “Our progress on emissions reductions is proof of our unwavering commitment to our net zero roadmap. We are working closely with our partners to help make food production more sustainable, while aiming at enhancing livelihoods across our value chain at the same time. A just transition is crucial to accelerate our efforts.
“Looking ahead, Nestlé is working on further reducing emissions through a combination of agroforestry, deforestation prevention and new farming practices, while boosting innovation both in products and in agri-tech through its own research and development and external partnerships.”
