“We are incredibly proud of the effort it took to accomplish this goal,” says Paul Grimwood, chairman and CEO Nestlé USA. “This is an especially noteworthy achievement given the breadth and complexity of our manufacturing operations across a variety of categories. We are committed to working with our employees to ensure our factories remain landfill free and are striving to reduce our environmental impact at each stage of the product lifecycle.”

Nestlé says it will continue to search for ways to reuse, recycle and recover energy when disposing of manufacturing by-products. Current company efforts include composting, recycling, energy production and the provision of safe products for animal feed.

But it’s not just the company doing all the work. According to Nestlé USA, its employees have adopted the sustainability mantra, taken on initiatives to minimize by-products and engaged in recycling programs and partnerships with credible waste vendors that dispose of manufacturing by-products in line with Nestlé’s environmental sustainability guidelines and standards. All Nestlé USA factories employ ISO 14001-certified environmental management systems to help manage their environmental impact, including waste elimination.

“Environmental sustainability is part of Nestlé’s commitment to Creating Shared Value in society,” says Grimwood.  “Our goal is for our products to not only be tastier and healthier, but also better for the environment.”

Globally, Nestlé has committed to improving resource efficiency in its operations. Of Nestlé’s factories worldwide, 15 percent  (72 in total) achieved zero waste for disposal in 2014. This achievement exceeds Nestlé’s goal of having 10 percent of its global factories at this stage by 2015. The Nestlé announcement came on the heels of Earth Day, which was celebrated last week.

In honor of the international day honoring environmental protection, the beverage industry celebrated actions taken by companies and individuals to protect our planet. “America’s beverage industry is committed to conserving and protecting natural resources so we can continue to lower our carbon footprint and make for a more sustainable world,” says Susan Neely, American Beverage Association (ABA) president and CEO. “When it comes to environmental sustainability, the beverage industry is united and continuing to lead.”

According to ABA, among the industry’s latest achievements is the improving fuel efficiency of company fleets. Beverage companies now have the largest fleet of fuel-efficient, heavy-duty hybrid commercial vehicles in North America, ABA says. Fuel economy has also increased by 3 percent per year since at least 2010, and alternative fuels and advanced technologies currently power more than 1,700 beverage industry vehicles.

 Other achievements include: lowering water usage, protecting watersheds, conserving energy, reducing greenhouse gases, making packaging more recyclable and supporting comprehensive recycling nationwide.