Nespresso’s Sustainability Lead Urges Shift From Chemical Farming

Jérôme Perez, Nespresso’s Global Head of Sustainability, stated the urgent need to move away from intensive chemical agriculture which he says is destroying soils. Speaking at the World Living Soils Forum in Arles, Perez described a nearly 20-year journey at Nespresso, initially creating the sustainability department and now leading a team of 40 overseeing 750 agronomists.

Nespresso directly sources coffee from over 130,000 producers in 18 countries, prioritizing long-term relationships over financial markets. Perez highlighted a successful project in South Sudan, establishing six cooperatives with nearly 1,000 producers, though it was disrupted by renewed conflict.

Currently, approximately 80% of Nespresso’s coffee comes from farms using regenerative practices, with a goal to reach near-total adoption by 2030. Perez emphasized that soil health is fundamental to coffee quality, climate change mitigation, and farm resilience, noting the collapse of farms due to flooding where soils could not retain water. He believes collective action is essential for broader impact.