Beverage giant Diageo has revealed how it is becoming more sustainable where its water management is concerned, part of plans to help reduce pressure on water supplies, which are facing increased pressure as a result of climate change, pollution, drought and population growth.
In an interview with Reuters, head of the North American supply chain for the brand Perry Jones explained just what is being done to help the company improve its water footprint, with strategies including grain to glass sustainability that focuses on water preservation, carbon neutrality, wastewater treatment and replenishing sources.
The business is keen to see another 30 per cent drop in water usage by 2030, he noted, saying that the aim is to leave earth in a better place than it was found in, which means replenishing what is being taken.
Replenishing water resources can involve planting trees to help reduce runoff and encourage water to return to aquifers, improving water quality and access to clean drinking water.
He also made mention of a community project in India’s Nagpur district, where the company set up water purification plants with chillers and [automated water dispensing units], as well as other projects covering the likes of rainwater harvesting, desilting dams and wetland restoration.
Diageo also makes use of water meters across its business, with Mr Perry saying: “We have a management process where we review what our actual water usage is, versus what our theoretical usage should be, every day across the globe.
“So water issues or concerns or suggestions get elevated up to the manager level, then to site directors, then to VPs, then to the C-Suite level. We have metering that tells us what came in the door, how it was deployed, and how much went out in the product. That helps us identify any losses, so we can correct them.”
Businesses inspired by Diageo that are equally keen to reduce their impact on the environment by prioritising water usage and consumption will be pleased to hear that there’s a lot that can be achieved in this respect.
It can be helpful to speak to a consultancy service like H2o so you can find out more about all the various solutions available to you and decide which ones would be most appropriate for you and your company.
All your water bills, carry out a site audit and come up with bespoke solutions to help make improvements to your water usage, ensuring that any leaks are found and dealt with, and that water bills are as they should be, both now and well into the future.
Benefits of addressing water usage include reduced water bills, being able to claim money back on previous water bill errors, saving time and space with reduced paper documentation, early water leak detection and so on.
