Nestle Plastic Packaging Waste Reduction Initiatives

Expired Corporate · Found: 2026-03-11 12:22

Nestle targets 100% recyclable/reusable packaging by 2025. 28% virgin plastic reduction achieved. Over 220 initiatives across Europe, Africa, Asia for waste collection, sorting, recycling. Nationwide recycling drives in Nigeria. Youth Impact micro-grants program.

Source: https://nestle.com/ask-nestle/environment/answers/tackling-packaging-waste

Funding Details

Funder

Nestlé (with UNESCO partnership for Youth Impact grants)

Funding Goal

Reduce plastic packaging waste through corporate initiatives, partnerships, and youth micro-grants supporting recyclable packaging, waste collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructure globally.

Funding Amount

USD 8,500 per project (Youth Impact micro-grants, 100 grants total). Corporate initiatives involve CHF 2 billion investment in recycled plastics and CHF 1.5 billion for food-grade recycled materials, but these are not available as external grants. (8.500 € – 8.500 €)

Deadline

2025-04-08 (Fixed)

How to Apply

For the UNESCO-Nestlé Youth Impact grants: Apply via unesco.nestleyouthentrepreneurship.com. Deadline was April 8, 2025 (11:59 PM CET). Evaluation runs April 9 – June 9, 2025. Award ceremony September 18, 2025. Capability building August 2025 – April 2026. For Nestlé's broader waste reduction partnerships: No public application process — these are corporate-initiated partnerships typically negotiated directly with local governments, municipalities, and industry partners.

Target Region

Global (all five UNESCO regions for Youth Impact grants; corporate initiatives focused on Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, Latin America)

Contact

UNESCO Youth Impact portal: unesco.nestleyouthentrepreneurship.com

Last Checked

2026-03-11 23:59

Application Checklist

Eligibility

• Applicants must be aged 18-30 years old (Youth Impact grants only)
• Projects must be youth-led with a team of at least 3 young people and a designated project leader
• Most Nestlé waste reduction initiatives are corporate partnerships, not open grant programs — verify specific opportunity has an open application process

Project Scope

• Projects must address one of four themes: climate mitigation/adaptation, sustainable food systems, regenerative agriculture, or packaging sustainability innovations

Required Documents

• Application submitted via unesco.nestleyouthentrepreneurship.com portal

Constraints

• Projects must be completable within 6 months and operate at local or national scope
• Youth Impact deadline was April 8, 2025 for the 2025 round

Summary

Nestlé's packaging waste reduction program encompasses over 220 initiatives across Europe, Africa, Asia, North America, and Latin America focused on waste collection, sorting, and recycling. The company committed to making 100% of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025 and has achieved a 28% reduction in virgin plastic use. Nestlé invested up to CHF 2 billion to shift from virgin to food-grade recycled plastics and allocated CHF 1.5 billion for sourcing up to 2 million metric tons of food-grade recycled materials. A key component is the UNESCO-Nestlé "Youth Impact: Because You Matter" grant programme, which provides 100 micro-grants of USD 8,500 each to youth-led projects addressing climate mitigation, sustainable food systems, regenerative agriculture, and packaging sustainability innovations. This programme targets young changemakers aged 18-30 across all five UNESCO regions and includes mentorship from Nestlé executives plus a six-month capability-building programme. Additionally, Nestlé partners with organizations like Veolia across eleven priority countries for waste collection and recycling, supports Project STOP in Southeast Asia to prevent ocean plastic leakage, co-founded the Ghana Recycling Initiative by Private Enterprises (GRIPE), and runs nationwide recycling drives in Nigeria. However, aside from the Youth Impact grants, these are primarily corporate-driven partnership initiatives rather than open grant programs accepting external applications from NGOs.

Historical Context

Nestlé announced its 100% recyclable/reusable packaging target in 2018. In 2019, a plastic reduction roadmap with 100+ projects was developed. A pilot Youth Impact programme launched in Latin America in 2023 engaging 20 young leaders and benefiting 130,000 community members. The programme expanded globally in 2025 with 100 grants. Nestlé-Veolia partnership for recycling was established across eleven priority countries. By end 2025, 87.5% of Nestlé's plastic packaging was designed for recycling.

Why it was added

Global FMCG with 220+ plastic waste initiatives in Africa and Asia, including direct community programs

Sources

• https://nestle.com/ask-nestle/environment/answers/tackling-packaging-waste
• https://www.nestle.com/sustainability/waste-reduction/packaging-waste
• https://www.nestle.com/sustainability/waste-reduction
• https://www.nestle.com/ask-nestle/environment/answers/tackling-packaging-waste-plastic-bottles
• https://www.nestle.com/media/pressreleases/allpressreleases/nestle-action-tackle-plastic-waste
• https://www.nestle.com/sustainability/waste-reduction/packaging-strategy
• https://www.opportunitiesforafricans.com/unesco-nestle-youth-impact-because-you-matter-programme-2025/

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