Nestlé Waters’ Buxton site, which bottles Buxton natural mineral water and Nestlé Pure Life spring water, has once again demonstrated its commitment to excellence by maintaining its prestigious Platinum status under the Alliance for Water Stewardship International Standard (AWS).
The accomplishment recognises the facility's exceptional dedication to responsible water management and collaboration, as well as its strong engagement with the local community.
The AWS Standard is an internationally recognised accreditation that assesses responsible water stewardship across various criteria, including social, cultural, environmental, and economic aspects. Nestlé is a founding member of the Alliance for Water Stewardship collaboration and has committed to certifying all Nestlé Waters sites by the end of 2025.
The bottling site in Buxton first achieved the platinum status in March 2021, becoming the first site in the UK to be certified at the highest level available. In 2024, after a rigorous audit process, the platinum status was awarded once again. Maintaining the platinum rating underscores the Buxton facility's outstanding commitment to managing water responsibly not only today, but for future generations to come.
Hayley Lloyd House, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability for Nestlé Waters UK, said: “We are incredibly proud to have achieved the Alliance for Water Stewardship recertification of our Buxton site at platinum status. This really demonstrates how committed we are and that caring for water sits at the heart of everything we do. The auditors commended us for continued progress in effective water stewardship and collaboration on shared needs of the water catchment area. Our project partnerships on the River Ecclesbourne and Combs Moss peatland restoration were also commended as these are designed to go further and help regenerate the local water cycles and address long-term shared challenges in the local area such as flooding and river health.”
Nestlé Waters are 5 years into a long-term partnership with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust who manage approximately 190 acres of land around its water sources. Through expert guidance and management, the sites are being protected and regenerated, allowing wildlife to thrive, providing homes for common and rare species of birds, mammals and plants whilst also creating volunteering opportunities for the local communities to get involved and learn new skills. For example, last year, 420 trees and native shrubs were planted, dry stone walls repaired, heritage walks hosted and species on site monitored.
Nestlé Waters are also supporting project partnerships focused on regenerating local water cycles to help watersheds capture more water than is used in the company’s bottling operations and create a positive water impact in local catchment areas by the end of 2025. The first project, led by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust in collaboration with Nestlé Waters, Wild Trout Trust and Chatsworth Estate, is aimed at restoring the natural habitat of the River Ecclesbourne. The river was successfully rerouted back to its original channel, bypassing a weir and effectively opening over 28km of river for fish migration.
The second project, led by Moors for The Future Partnership and supported by Nestlé Waters, the Environment Agency, Severn Trent and the Harris & Sheldon Group, focuses on Combs Moss peatland restoration. The restoration work includes blocking of erosion gullies and planting sphagnum moss which will help promote biodiversity, capture carbon and slow down the flow of water from the moor, helping to reducing the risk of flooding downstream.
Grant McKenzie, Managing Director for Nestlé Waters UK, said: “The recertification recognises the continued efforts our team have made in the last three years to ensure sustainable water stewardship, so the natural water resources are protected for everyone. We are proud to have our passion for water and work recognised and are grateful to have great partners working closely with us, addressing shared water challenges, and caring for local water causes. We know how important it is that we protect the natural landscape which gives our water its unique taste and characteristics and it is our responsibility to help preserve the land in this beautiful part of the world.”
Adrian Sym, CEO of Alliance for Water Stewardship, said: “Buxton was the first brand in the UK whose production site was certified to the AWS Standard at the platinum level – a recognition awarded to sites that push their water stewardship performance to higher levels. Its recertification serves as a model to other companies in the industry, recognising that good water stewards seek continual improvement and commit to ongoing action in response to the ever-evolving nature of the local water context. We congratulate Nestlé Waters and their UK Team on their achievement and ongoing commitment to leadership in water stewardship.”