It is easy to forget that water shortages are a big global issue with all the rain here in the UK, with World Water Week at the top of the agenda this month. Over the past two decades, the amount of clean water per person has dropped by fifth in the world, and warns that the UK could see a water shortage by 2050 if urgent action is not taken.
In addition to reducing the use of soft drinks as much as possible, the soft drinks industry can play an important role in increasing the efficiency of watershed processes.
In the UK’s and Ireland’s (SFF GB and I), we follow the philosophy of “living with water” from Mizu to Ikiru. Without this precious natural resource, our business would not be possible and the people in the UK and Ireland are committed to keeping water as our favorite drink. Our global executive, Tach Ninami, believes that we must be a leader in promoting water sustainability – in his words – “a must”.
Our organization is committed to ensuring that we grow for the better – a vision that leads to some goals of sustainability. A.D. In 2015, we set a goal to reduce our global water consumption by 2030 by 2030. To date, we have managed to reduce our consumption by 14.2% in the UK, which means we are well on track to achieve that goal.
So, how did we get there?
New technology and factory efficiency
Most of the changes start at our factory in Kolford, Glochester, where we now get 60% of all our water from wells. Our factory is located in the heart of the Dean Forest, a rich source of biodiversity and a great source of natural water. The need to protect and develop natural water sources is a constant reminder.
At the factory, we are constantly investing in new technologies and upgrading existing equipment to make our water consumption more efficient. We have installed a new water recovery unit that will stop wastage by recovering, treating and reusing any excess water. This simple closed cycle cycle in itself resulted in a 2% water reduction at the site. We also use innovative dry acrylic technology that uses heat and compressed air instead of water to clean the bottles before they are filled.
We can always do more to preserve this vital resource, and we want to work with the rest of the soft drinks industry to further protect our precious water supplies. From our previous work in the area and our experience with our parent company Suntory, we have identified a few key steps that producers should consider when evaluating water use.
1) Set clear goals
Every desire needs clear goals, but it is very important when it comes to water conservation, because they must reflect the specific requirements of the surrounding watershed. It is also important to understand how water is currently used in the production line, taking into account the natural water cycle in the vicinity. This information can be used to communicate with scientists and members of the local community, to create coordinated water initiatives that reflect all interests.
2) Apply a durable lens
It is easy to create a business case to implement sustainable changes in the product line, when they somehow improve productivity, for example faster or more efficiently. We did that when we invested in the new high-speed bottle line at our Kolford factory. Not only does the line fill 55,000 bottles per hour, but it also reduces the amount of water and energy needed to make each bottle 40%, representing a 4.4% reduction across our site.
3) Communication
Finally, to reach the real goal, you must have the full force behind every step of the way. Not all of our employees are aware of our growth, but they are eager to make it a reality. One way we can achieve this is by offering ongoing online training courses to all who work in the company, which encourages them to understand our mission and join our journey.
Long-term measures
Water is the heart of the soft drink industry and we must take responsibility for the better management of this treasure, which is why World Water Week should not be the only time we think about this.
We must work together to maintain fresh and abundant water reserves that will be useful for future generations by adapting and finding new natural solutions that alleviate new challenges.
Action on water is something that all of our businesses around the world do, and it is part of our Suntory 2050 environmental aspirations that address water issues related to climate change and easing the entire business. This year, Suntory has partnered with partners such as Alliance for Strategies (AWS) and Ocean Conservancy to share our commitment to protecting this precious natural resource.
We encourage other soft drink manufacturers to look at water use and ask themselves – are we doing our best to protect the world for future generations? According to Tac Ninaami, CEO of Suntory Holdings, we need to do more – and faster. And we can only do it together.
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