Nestlé Sustainable Lifestyle Webinar Series: Learning and Doing More Together for the Planet

Environmental awareness is the first step towards living sustainably. For us to make effective lifestyle changes and better choices for the planet, we must know more about the problem and understand what steps we can take as individuals and a nation to be part of the solution.

So, how do we do this? We can begin by doing our own research. The internet has enough resources to walk us through the current climate situation and how we can lessen our impact to the environment. We can also learn more about sustainable organizations and companies to support and how we can be part of their cause.

Nestlé Philippines, as a Kasambuhay for the Environment, places great importance on solid waste management education. Throughout the month of September, it held a series of webinars that discussed how consumers can practice a more sustainable lifestyle and become environmental Kasambuhays themselves.

“We believe in the power of education to inspire and encourage people to take the necessary steps to live more sustainably. Knowing how leads us to take action,” said of Nestlé Philippines Chairman and CEO Kais Marzouki.

Facilitated by Ms. Anna Oposa, Executive Director and Chief Mermaid of Save Philippine Seas SPS), the webinars featured simple and easy ways for parents, young professionals, and students to practice low waste living and responsible solid waste management in their homes and communities.

Attendees learned 3 ways different ways to do more together from home: low-waste ways to cut down on consumption, proper waste segregation and composting!

Here are just some of the topics that were covered:

 

Be a waste watcher

Before we’re able to reduce the waste that we consume (plastics, especially), we must first assess the amount of waste we produce and what mostly make up the contents of our trashcans. Ms. Oposa recommended using templates such as SPS’ Waste Watch Report Card to keep track of what products and items we usually use and dispose and assess what we can lessen or replace moving forward. You can download a copy of this on Nestlé’s website.

 

Practice low-waste habits

Throughout the sessions, the attendees were able to learn tips and tricks to reduce their plastic waste consumption. These are as simple as buying in bulk when doing the groceries to cut the amount of plastic packaging, opting to purchase products that are more sustainable and eco-friendly, and using reusable alternatives to plastics, among others.

 

Segregate your waste

Segregation plays a big part in diverting plastic waste away from the environment because this creates higher value for plastics and gives them a higher chance for recovery and recycling. There are three main categories of waste: recyclables, biodegradable, and residuals. For recyclables and residuals with potential for recycling, it’s important to make sure that the items are clean and dry before dropping off to collection points to make the recycling process much easier.

 

When it comes to their journey towards a more sustainable lifestyle, Ms. Oposa advised the attendees to aim for progress, not perfection. “When we aim for perfection, there’s a tendency for us to get overwhelmed and when we get overwhelmed, parang nagkaka-analysis paralysis tayo and we don’t know how to act from there. But if we aim for progress, we can focus on one or two things first, do it well and consistently, and before you know it, it’s part of your lifestyle already. You just keep doing it and then you'll see other people doing it as well. We are all multiplying our environmental practices,” she said.

Different groups from parents, professionals and the youth attended the webinars to learn more about how we can do more together for the planet.

As the largest food and beverage company in the country, Nestlé Philippines recognizes its responsibility to take a leading role in tackling the plastic waste crisis. The company’s ambition is for all Nestlé packaging to be 100% recyclable by 2025 and to reduce its virgin plastic use by 1/3 by 2025. It is also committed to collect and process the equivalent amounts of plastics used in its packaging so that these do not end up in the environment. This year, Nestlé Philippines is celebrating its first full year of plastic neutrality, having collected and diverted from oceans and landfills over 27,000,000 kilos of plastic from August 2020 to July 2021 which is equivalent to the amount of plastics it put out into the market.

There is much more to be done to protect the planet from waste, especially plastic waste. Just like Nestlé Philippines, consumers can also be plastic neutral in their own ways. Nestlé has provided education resources as well as information on collection points. To download solid waste management modules, you can visit Nestle’s website. After segregating your waste at home, collect and drop off your plastics at any of these plastic collection points across the country to have them processed or recycled. You can also help in building Nestlé’s list of these collection points by visiting rplr.co/PlasticDropPH. We can #DoMoreTogether and be a #KasambuhayForTheEnvironment.

 

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Nestlé Philippines relaunches iconic brands Nestlé Carnation and Nestlé Milkmaid

In time for the celebration of its 110th year presence in the country, Nestlé Philippines is strengthening its commitment to provide high quality, tasty, and nutritious products to Filipinos by re-launching two of its well-loved and iconic Dairy Culinary brands, NESTLÉ CARNATION and NESTLÉ MILKMAID. These brands have a deep and rich history not only for Nestlé Philippines but for every Filipino household especially during special occasions.

Known as the “cooking milk”, Carnation was the first brand to introduce Evaporada and Condensada to make creamy, milky, affordable dairy solutions accessible to a wider set of consumers. The all-familiar red and white can with the iconic chef’s hat has been a staple in the creation of many favorite Filipino dishes and desserts through the years.

Staying true to the promise of providing premium quality goodness, Nestlé Carnation Evap is now made with more milk (vs. previous formulation) and comes in an easy open resealable pack.

Nestle Milkmaid, on the other hand together with the iconic milk lady, has the distinction of being the first brand sold by Nestlé Philippines when it opened in 1911 as the Nestlé and Anglo Swiss Condensed Milk Company. It is considered as the gold standard in condensed milk as it is the only full cream sweetened condensed milk that’s made with 100% pure cow’s milk.

“Consistent with Nestlé’s purpose of unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone, today and for generations to come, we are delighted to relaunch our Carnation and Milkmaid brands that have been a big part of Nestlé Philippines’ relationship with Filipino families. We strengthen our commitment as the Kasambuhay of Filipinos, providing high quality and nutritious products, and driving programs that make a difference in society and for the planet,” said Rosalyn Simba, Business Executive Officer for Food and Dairy Culinary, Nestle Philippines.

For Filipinos, Christmas days just aren’t complete without the special Fruit Salad or Carbonara the same way that Summer always call for the perfect beverage - halo-halo and mais con yelo – all made better with Nestlé Carnation and Nestlé Milkmaid! 

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Nestlé local coffee buying up 39%, joins TESDA to train coffee scholars

Nestle continues to support our local coffee farmers by buying 39% more robusta coffee beans in 2020.

When you start your mornings drinking coffee that is locally manufactured with beans grown in the country, you are directly contributing to the livelihood of the hardworking Magkakapeng Pillipino.

As the country’s only large coffee manufacturer and the leading buyer of domestically grown Robusta beans, Nestlé Philippines is deeply committed to help grow the local coffee industry through the NESCAFÉ Plan, a long-term program that seeks to boost the supply of local Robusta coffee while helping farmers increase their yields and incomes from coffee farming, in the process uplifting their quality of life. The company's strategy is to favor and push for the local sourcing of raw and packaging materials in its manufacturing. 

Significant increase in local coffee buying 

Today, Nestlé Philippines announced that in crop year 2020-2021, its local coffee buying had increased by 39 percent, following an increase of 27 percent in 2019-2020. These increases are attributed to higher yields because of intensified classroom and hands-on training for Robusta coffee farmers, and greater availability of credit for farming, aspects of coffee production in which the NESCAFÉ Plan is actively involved. Nestlé Philippines aims to continue increasing direct buying from individual farmers and farmer groups as a component of the NESCAFÉ Plan. 

At present, coffee consumption in the country totals approximately 100,000 metric tons while local production stands at only about a fourth of demand. While the Philippines is an ideal country in which to grow coffee, production has decreased by 3.5 percent with consumption increasing by 8.8 percent annually in recent years. 

According to the Philippine Coffee Industry Roadmap 2017-2022, the continuous drop in production has been caused by various factors such as an increasing number of coffee growers shifting to other crops, old age of trees with limited or no rejuvenation, poor farm practices and limited knowledge on appropriate coffee technology among farmers, aging farmers, limited access to certified planting materials, and limited access to credit. Still another factor is climate change with its adverse effects on agriculture. 

Due to the gap between supply and demand, local manufacturers are forced to import raw coffee from Vietnam and Indonesia, which the country can very well produce for itself.  The shortage in supply represents ready-made opportunities for local coffee growers. 

Notwithstanding the complex challenges, with the right policies and technologies, with sufficient investments and support from both the government and the private sector, and with adequate economic benefits and incentives for land owners and farmers as well as producers, the local coffee sector can achieve self-sufficiency in the future.

“Given our involvement in coffee manufacturing in the country, we have a major responsibility to take a key role towards building a progressive coffee industry. This involves growing enough so that there will be no need to import coffee, and includes helping farmers become agripreneurs, observing equitable labor practices on the farms, and respecting the environment. That is why we are deeply committed to the continuing implementation of our NESCAFÉ Plan as a vehicle for driving coffee sustainability,” said Nestlé Philippines Chairman and CEO Kais Marzouki.  

A banner component of the NESCAFÉ Plan called Project Coffee+ in collaboration with GIZ, the German development cooperation agency, has been training 1,500 farmers in Sultan Kudarat and Bukidnon intensively over the past three years to approach small-scale coffee farming as a business. The initiative is on track in doubling the participants' average yields per hectare.    

 

Upskilling coffee farmers with TESDA 

Recently, Nestlé Philippines signed an agreement with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) to provide scholarships for farmers, particularly smallholders, youth, women, and Indigenous Peoples in Mindanao, where 80 percent of the country’s coffee is grown. The partnership aims to strengthen and empower farmers by providing them proper training in coffee production, based mainly on the Farmer Business School for Coffee training materials developed by Project Coffee+. 

Last June and July, the first three batches – each composed of 25 farmer scholars, began training in Coffee Production Level II at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. The 25-day training module teaches and trains participants the fundamentals of modern coffee growing and entrepreneurship. 

This year, there are 450 initial scholarship slots allotted for Bukidnon and Sultan Kudarat. Nestlé and TESDA intend to expand the project to other locations. 

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