Nespresso — Ethics Grade C-

Nespresso receives an overall ethics grade of C- (44/100) on CancelCo's corporate accountability database. Sector: Fashion & Apparel. Market cap: Large Cap.

Category scores

• labor: 38
• privacy: 85
• consumer: 50
• environment: 45
• humanRights: 40

Documented incidents (3)

• Child Labor Discovery (high, 2020) — An investigation by Dispatches revealed child labor on several Guatemalan farms that supply coffee to Nespresso. Children as young as 13 were found working long hours in difficult conditions for low pay.
• Aluminum Pod Waste (medium, 2019) — Critics have long attacked the environmental impact of single-use aluminum pods. Despite recycling programs, the majority of pods end up in landfills, and the energy cost of aluminum production remains extremely high.
• Farmer Living Wage Gap (medium, 2022) — NGO reports indicated that coffee farmers in the Nespresso AAA Program often still do not earn a living wage despite the premiums paid by the brand, due to fluctuating market prices and high production costs.

Documented good deeds

• B Corp Certification — Achieved B Corp certification, meeting high standards of verified social and environmental performance and public transparency.

Ethical alternatives

• Ethos Coffee Roasters — Focuses on ultra-transparent supply chains and direct-to-farmer trade models.