What George Clooney Isn’t Telling Us About Nespresso’s ‘Sustainable’ Coffee'

Nestlé and other producers no longer rely on independent NGOs to verify the sustainability of their coffee production. In recent years, they have taken the verification process into their own hands by setting up their own labels to verify the sustainability of their products. One of Nestlé's best-known corporate labels is the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Programme, a certification scheme for a significant proportion of Nespresso coffee.

According to Nestlé, the Nespresso AAA programme aims to ensure sustainable coffee production and social responsibility, but these promises are not always met in practice. Some farmers on Colombian plantations use banned pesticides, work in unsafe conditions, and poverty remains a major issue, despite promised improvements for farmers and the environment.

Inspections under the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Programme are not very reliable, according to those involved: inspections are often announced in advance by the inspectors themselves, which undermines their effectiveness. Farmers who do not meet the criteria remain in the programme.

Journalists from The Investigative Desk and Baudó Agencia Pública visited Nespresso AAA plantations in Colombia and spoke to farmers, inspectors and independent experts. They uncovered discrepancies between the claims Nespresso makes on its packaging and website and the reality on the plantations.

Image: Sara Arredondo, Baudó AP