Nespresso
Partly verifiedNespresso raises serious concerns: there are reports of forced or child labour in its supply chain, and workers in the countries coffee usually comes from, such as Brazil and Vietnam are very unlikely to earn a living wage. Brazilian labour inspectors freed three workers from slave-like conditions in July 2023 at Vista Alegre, an AAA-certified farm that had sold coffee to a Nestlé supplier, as reported by Public Eye in 2025.
Last researched 7 October 2026
Not doing enough. Workers in the supply chain are likely underpaid, unprotected or in danger, and in the worst cases face forced or child labour. Look for a better-graded alternative. What this grade means
Good: 0 of 5
- Pays a living wage
- Respects worker rights
- Full supply chain audit, or made only in countries with rigorous labour standards
- No child or forced labour findings
- Publishes where its products are made (supplier list, named farms or its own factories)
Great: 1 of 3
- Pays beyond a living wage
- Finds and fixes problems, or invests directly in workers' communities
- Actively empowers workers
Needs all Good requirements plus two of these.
Red flags: 3
- Does not pay a living wage
- Hidden or unaudited supply chain (no certification or documentation, or major production in countries with poor worker rights without independent audits)
- Instances of forced, slave or child labour
Where it's made: not disclosed
Showing where coffee products are usually made instead.
| Country | Worker rights | Legal wages | Forced labour risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil 35% | Systematic violations | Below a living wage | Moderate |
| Vietnam 20% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Colombia 10% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Indonesia 7% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Ethiopia 7% | Regular violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Honduras 6% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
| Peru 5% | Regular violations | Well below a living wage | Low |
| Uganda 5% | Regular violations | Far below a living wage | Moderate |
| Guatemala 5% | Systematic violations | Well below a living wage | Moderate |
Country conditions from the ITUC Global Rights Index, Global Slavery Index and living wage benchmarks. Certifications and audits can raise a company above its countries' baseline.
Why this grade
- Coffee is on the US Department of Labor child or forced labour list for over a dozen countries, and farm-gate prices often fall below a living income.
- Certified B Corp: Whole-company assessment. Labour is one part of the score, so it is supportive rather than proof.
- Modern slavery statement
- Invests in worker and farming communities
Nespresso buys about 93% of its coffee through its AAA Sustainable Quality Program from around 150,000 farmers in 18 countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Indonesia and India, but does not publish country shares or a farm list. About 44% of its coffee is Rainforest Alliance or organic certified, and it runs retirement savings and crop insurance schemes for some farmers, while work towards a living income reference price is not yet time-bound. It is a Certified B Corp, re-certified in 2025 with a score of 105.
What independent sources say
| Source | Result | Details |
|---|---|---|
| B Corp directory | Found | Nestlé Nespresso SA is a Certified B Corp, re-certified in December 2025 with a score of 105. View ↗ |
| US Department of Labor goods lists | Found | Coffee from Brazil is listed for child and forced labour, and coffee from Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Kenya for child labour. View ↗ |
| Australian Modern Slavery Register | Found | Parent Nestlé Australia lodges annual modern slavery statements; it is not stated whether Nespresso Australia is named in them. View ↗ |
| UK Modern Slavery Statement Registry | Found | Nestlé UK lodges a modern slavery statement (2026). View ↗ |
| Fairtrade (incl. FLOCERT and Fairtrade ANZ) | Not listed | Most Nespresso coffee is sourced through its own AAA programme, not Fairtrade. View ↗ |
Confirmed issues
Problems confirmed by a court, regulator, completed investigation or the company itself. Issues more than 15 years old, or 10–15 years old where the company made amends, are removed. Problems a company finds and publishes itself, and is fixing, are shown but don't count against it.
| When | What happened | Made amends? |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Brazilian labour inspectors freed three workers from slave-like conditions in July 2023 at Vista Alegre, an AAA-certified farm that had sold coffee to a Nestlé supplier, as reported by Public Eye in 2025. | Partly Nestlé suspended the farm from the AAA programme in 2025, only after Public Eye raised the case; no compensation for workers has been reported. |
| 2020 | Nespresso's own investigation after a 2020 Channel 4 Dispatches report confirmed child labour on three AAA farms in Guatemala's Fraijanes region. | Partly Nespresso stopped buying from the three farms and launched a six-step plan with more agronomists, social workers, unannounced visits, child-friendly spaces and a reporting hotline. |
Sources (9)
- Nespresso The Positive Cup 2022 Progress Report · archived copy · 93% AAA; 44% Rainforest Alliance and/or organic; 150,918 farmers in 18 countries and list of origins; 17,584 farmers with retirement savings or crop insurance; living income reference price work
- Nespresso renforce sa trajectoire B Corp (L'Info Durable, 2025) · archived copy · B Corp re-certification December 2025 with score 105 (84 in 2022)
- Modern slavery at Nestlé's coffee supplier (Public Eye, 2025) · archived copy · AAA-certified farm classified as slave labour by Brazilian inspectors in July 2023
- Nestlé statement to Public Eye on modern slavery (2025) · archived copy · Vista Alegre farm, three workers freed; Nestlé suspended it from AAA after being alerted
- Nespresso releases plan to combat child labor found in its supply chain (Daily Coffee News, 2020) · archived copy · Child labour confirmed on three Guatemalan farms; purchases halted; six-step action plan
- Nespresso launches probe into allegations of child labour (Jersey Evening Post / PA, 2020) · archived copy · Channel 4 Dispatches findings and Nespresso response
- Nestlé Australia modern slavery · archived copy · Nestlé Australia publishes annual modern slavery statements under Australian and UK laws
- US DOL List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor · archived copy · Coffee from Brazil listed for child and forced labour; Colombia for child labour
- US DOL List of Goods (coffee entries) · archived copy · Coffee from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Kenya and others listed for child labour
Last researched 7 October 2026 · details still being verified. Grades are opinions based on the evidence listed here. Represent this company and think something is wrong? A right-of-reply form is coming soon.