Coke goes easy on the water

Stung by accusations of water profligacy – and worse – Coca-Cola has joined other leading brands in pledging to cut consumption and save key aquatic habitats.

Last year, the soft drinks giant soaked up 290 billion litres of water. Now it has committed $20 million to a joint initiative with WWF to help preserve freshwater river basins around the world and cut water usage across its global supply chain. The new watchwords are “reduce, recycle and replenish”. The move should also help reduce Coke’s supersized carbon footprint. Whether or not this placates Indian activists who accuse it of causing drought and pollution remains to be seen.

SABMiller, whose beer brands include Peroni and Pilsner Urquell, has similar plans to consume less and recycle more, and, like Coke, aims to cascade good practice down its supply chain. Environmental manager David Grant says the company aims to “keep usage as low as possible and use effluent as a resource” [instead of seeing it as a waste treatment challenge]. It’s also looking at watershed mapping, identifying water quality issues and their impact on the local community.

Coca-Cola and SABMiller have issued a call to action for businesses to address the emerging global water crisis. The ‘CEO Water Mandate’ is also backed by Nestlé, Levi Strauss, Läckeby Water Group and Suez.

19 September 2007