Safeguarding water

Looking after the liquid assets

Access to clean water is a fundamental human right. As climate change intensifies, water-related issues grow in importance. This is a global phenomenon. But, with droughts in some places and flooding in others, the impacts are very much felt at a local level.

Because farmers rely on water to grow the crops for our ingredients, protecting and preserving the water resources we share with others is a high priority for us.

To target our actions globally, in 2018 we launched the flagship initiative Caring for Water.

Water efficiency across our operations

Our agricultural supply chains form 95% of our water footprint. So improving water usage within our factories is only the first step on a long journey. It’s crucial we take action across the wider water systems.
At our sites in the UK and Ireland, we’ve improved our water-use efficiency by 66% since 2007. And we continue to focus on actions that deliver better outcomes for our business, but also for:

• the wider community
• other water users
• the water rich environment, with its unique ecosystems.

Water stewardship

A single water user can’t solve shared water challenges alone. That’s why we work with other organisations, including our suppliers and partners in the wider community, to make a real difference. This is known as water stewardship.

Higher standards

In 2018, we announced that, by 2025, Nestlé Waters will have certified all of its sites globally to the standard set by the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS).

The global standard promotes responsible water use that benefits local communities socially and economically, while ensuring environmental sustainability of watersheds – all priorities for Nestlé Waters.

Common aims

At our sites, we’re guided by independent, external water stewardship certification bodies. In the wider community, we’re working to be leaders in the promotion of good water stewardship principles and practices. We collaborate with a number of local partners, NGOs, academic experts and government advisors on longer term management programmes that care for water, protect nature and promote biodiversity around our sources, while preserving access for the local community.

Working with the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, for example, helps us to understand the ecology around our sources and develop sustainable land-management plans to ensure that wildlife can thrive and people can connect with, learn from and be inspired by nature.