Water stewardship policy

Our Approach to Water Stewardship 

Water is vital to human and community development. It is also the primary ingredient of our products, central to our manufacturing process and necessary to grow the agricultural ingredients we use. Ensuring good quality safe water in sufficient quantities, as well as access to clean water and sanitation are essential to the health of people and ecosystems and vital for sustaining communities and supporting economic growth.

Conversely, climate change and excessive water consumption can have a profound impact on the availability of water in a catchment area. Along with local water communities, national and local regulators as well as international organisations, the industry has a key role in finding solutions for sustainable watersheds.

Therefore, our policy supports a creating a more positive impact on society and communities by:

• Continuously decreasing the amount of water we use
• Ensuring that our wastewater is fully treated to levels that sustain aquatic life;
• Investing in educational, volunteering and community based projects to reduce packaging pollution of our seas, oceans and rivers
• Assessing the future availability of water in relevant catchment areas and eliminating or mitigating environmental and social risks linked to our use of water;
• Ensuring continued access to fresh drinking water for local communities and helping improve access to water for this and other purposes where necessary and beneficial;
• Working with suppliers to understand the water footprint of our agricultural ingredients and other raw material, as well as promoting and helping them implement efficient water management solutions;
• Engaging with communities and other stakeholders to increase the awareness of water protection measures and we foster initiatives related to this;
• Establishing water stewardship partnerships with local and international organisations, including the United Nations, NGOs and peer companies;
• Exchanging non-competitive water stewardship practices and promoting the ongoing review and development of water standards and policies; and
• Disclosing and reporting our activities and progress comprehensively and transparently

This Water Stewardship Policy is approved and endorsed by the Social Responsibility Committee of the Coca-Cola HBC Board of Directors. It applies to all Coca-Cola HBC employees, regardless of level and function.

Steinhausen, 9 December 2020