Nespresso partners with Change Please to tackle homelessness in the UK and Ireland

Nespresso has announced a partnership with Change Please, a social enterprise founded in London in 2015, with the mission of empowering individuals who are experiencing homelessness through a commitment of £1m in its first year.

As part of its 2022-2023 Impact Report, Change Please noted a 50% increase in homelessness between March 2022 and March 2023, and tragically, it also reported 1,313 deaths as a result of homelessness back in 2021.

This partnership will see Nespresso support Change Please in the mission to eradicate one of the UK’s biggest societal problems and change lives through the power of coffee.

Nespresso’s £1m commitment will go towards empowering those who are experiencing homelessness with barista training, a living wage job, life admin support including securing housing and opening a bank account, mental health support and onward employment opportunities.

Half of the initial money (£500,000) will pay for a long-term plan and support at least 50 trainees in The Republic of Ireland. This will allow Change Please to begin its impact work in the Republic of Ireland, including the employment of a regional programme manager and the set-up of a coffee training programme to build on the successful business model in the UK. A further quarter (£250,000) will cover the set up a new retail site/café in a key city where Change Please is, to support the onward employment journey of trainees and Graduates. The rest of the money will expand and upgrade the Change Please business to ensure longevity and improve support for trainees.

From June 2024, coffee lovers will be able to purchase Nespresso for Change Please coffee blends across the Original, Vertuo and B2B systems and learn more about the partnership and the issue of homelessness at a week-long event held at the Outernet in London. Further profits made from a new collection of accessories and nationwide events will also support Change Please’s mission.

The latest data from Shelter estimates 309,000 people are homeless in England alone, with many more at risk. In February 2024 it was reported that the number of people sleeping rough is now 61% higher than it was ten years ago and 120% higher than when data collection began in 2010.

In 2023, Change Please supported 1550 people experiencing homelessness through its programmes, and a further 720 individuals to date in 2024. It is estimated that 50 individuals in Ireland will directly from the funding.

Cemal Ezel, CEO and founder of Change Please expressed pride at the launch of the partnership with Nespresso.

“We have seen the amazing work Nespresso does in coffee growing regions,” Ezel said. “This partnership goes beyond simply selling great coffee, it’s about using the power of business to drive social change and improve the lives of those most in need in the UK and Ireland. Through this collaboration, we are joining forces to demonstrate how companies can come together to make real change and to do good. We hope to inspire others on the transformative potential of corporate social responsibility.”

Anna Lundstrom, CEO for Nespresso UKI said that by harnessing the positive force of coffee for over twenty years, Nespresso has reestablished and uplifted farming communities around the world through our AAA programme.

“Today, we are proud to extend this ethos through our partnership with Change Please, supporting its education and employment-first model to empower individuals experiencing homelessness through the transformative potential of a simple cup of coffee. Together we can enrich the lives of both our farmers and the communities in the UK and Republic of Ireland.”

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