Food and drink processing firm Nestle Philippines is leveraging on its continuing sourcing of power supply from renewable energy (RE) technologies to significantly pare its carbon emissions, and that is in line with its ‘net zero’ goal that was launched April this year.
Nestle’s first power supply agreement with Aboitiz Power Corporation was signed in 2013; and sourcing switched to RE in 2017 – and it was a targeted procurement of clean energy for its factories as well as its head office in Makati City—and that is now at aggregate capacity of 24.46 megawatts.
According to Aboitiz Power, it initially supplied RE-based power via its Cleanergy brand to Nestle’s manufacturing facility in Lipa, Batangas; then subsequently at its factories in Cabuyao, Laguna and Tanauan, Batangas; and then its corporate office in the Makati central business district.
Notably, the supply deal with Aboitiz Power for its power sourcing was even ahead of the 2015 Paris agreement - then Nestle’s continuing patronage of green energy source will provide traction to its commitment to net zero emissions by year 2030.
And in Nestle’s new ‘net zero’ goal, Aboitiz Power indicated that it will be having its contribution “by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the equivalent amount of 24,736 cars driven in a year, or 12.8 million gallons of gasoline consumed, or 14 billion smart phones charged.
As laid down by experts, ‘net zero’ or a carbon neutrality pathway can be achieved through balancing or offsetting carbon dioxide emissions in transportation; energy production or use; as well as industrial processes. On a broader sphere, this is anchored on decarbonization commitment and climate action in keeping with the global climate diplomacy under the Paris agreement.
Beyond energy, Nestle noted that among the programs it has been accelerating toward its ‘net zero journey’ would include: “innovating and developing technology to make packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025 to address plastic waste crisis.”
Another key sustainability initiative that Nestle has been advancing is: helping smallholder farmers to reduce their carbon footprints through the Nescafe Plan and the Common Code for the Coffee Community or 4C, which enables Robusta coffee farmers in Mindanao to learn regenerative agriculture and sustainable coffee production.
The ‘net zero’ ambition of Nestle Philippines was launched this year, coinciding with its 110th year celebration of business operations in the country – and that was carried out through a virtual event attended by employees and their family members, as well as program and business partners.
Aboitiz Power was invited in their ‘net zero launch’ event, as the energy company has been among the food conglomerate’s valuable partners aiding it at advancing the momentum on reducing its carbon footprints.
As jointly stated by Aboitiz Power and Nestle, their partnership “is proof that organizations with large energy requirements can switch to more sustainable business operations and help build a more sustainable future through clean and renewable energy.”