NESPRESSO has long been known for more than just coffee; the company is a leader in corporate conservation initiatives and has supported agroforestry work globally for nearly 20 years.

In addition to this, Nespresso has planted over 5.2 million trees since 2014 to capture carbon from the atmosphere while building a regenerative agricultural system. Since coffee berries thrive in shade, it makes sense to invest in forest conservation and tree-planting, but Nespresso’s interest goes far beyond helping cultivate its own crop.

The company aims to make a meaningful contribution to the health of the planet and the communities that produce and consume its coffee, which includes 120,000 farmers in 15 countries and consumers all over the world.

“We think about the communities in which we operate,” says Anna Marciano, general counsel and head of sustainability, Nespresso USA. “We’re always looking at it from both perspectives: How do we care for people and planet at the same time?”

It’s this question that sparked the unique partnership between Nespresso and American Forests in 2021. Nespresso’s holistic approach to environmental action — their care for localized community impact in concert with conservation gains — dovetails with American Forests’ approach to place-based action.

Together, they are planting over 100,000 seedlings in priority landscapes across the country: Hawaii, Texas, California and New Jersey. From helping create habitat for the threatened ocelot in south Texas to conserving the forest home of endangered songbirds in Hawaii, Nespresso and American Forests are working together on highly targeted and effective conservation priorities.

But Nespresso is doing much more than simply helping plant trees. The company is the inaugural corporate supporter for American Forests’ effort to collect native seeds in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. With only 10% of the area’s native forests remaining, seed collection is essential for future sustainability. When American Forests approached Nespresso about addressing this need, the company’s support was strong and immediate, and included supporting the collection of 122 pounds of native seed.

“Nespresso has long been an innovator in sustainability, helping to advance systems-level solutions,” says Jad Daley, American Forests president and chief executive officer. “Through our new partnership, Nespresso is helping promote this kind of lasting change in the reforestation movement by helping American Forests meet the growing demand for seed collection and tree nursery capacity.”

Nespresso has also used its marketing reach to help raise awareness about the need to protect ecosystems. A campaign around the company’s Kona coffee focused on restoration efforts in Hawaii, and Nespresso used their presence at Art Basel in Miami last year to raise additional funds for American Forests through consumer sampling efforts. More recently, Nespresso urged customers to take a moment on Earth Day to enjoy a coffee break and experience the sights and sounds of forests virtually.“If you stay true to your authentic self and find organizations to collaborate with that align to your values or enhance what you’re trying to do, the results in working together are that much stronger,” says Marciano. The Nespresso-American Forests partnership is proof positive.