FOREWORD priority given to many aspects of social responsibility by our operating companies and there has been a massive response to our first wide-ranging structural survey of social indicators. Only two operating com panies (Kazakhstan and Croatia) were unable to participate because their administrative organisa tions were not yet sufficiently advanced. Overall, we are pleased with the survey's findings, even if there are some points on which individual operating com panies still have room for improvement. There remain several areas of concern. In this context, we should first remember the colleagues who lost their lives in accidents in the period 2002- 2003 covered by this report, either in the course of their duties or while travelling on company business or to or from work. I should like to take this opportu nity once again to convey my sympathy to those they have left behind. At the environmental level, an important area of concern is that 28 per cent of our breweries still use more than our standard seven hectolitres of water for each hectolitre of beer they produce and 32 per cent of our breweries still dis charge untreated waste water. Our previously an nounced programme to build waste-water treatment plants at our African breweries was to have been completed in 2006, but it has been necessary for several reasons to move the completion date back. There are also further improvements to be made in several countries in the recycling of co-products. At the social level, extra effort needs to be invested in the implementing our alcohol policy, our integrity policy and our policy on supply-chain responsibility. The necessary programmes are already in progress or are currently being prepared. Extra attention also needs to be focused on human rights, by explain ing more clearly to our operating companies the role which the company is able and willing to play in this area. To summarise, we have made good progress in the past two years, but we are not there yet. We are aiming for sustainability and we realise that there is still much work to be done. I hope you will join us on our journey to a more sustainable future. In order to ensure that you have access to accurate information, we shall be issuing interim reports, mainly by posting them on the web at www.heinekeninternational.com, in addition to our two-yearly reports and annual updates. We look forward to receiving your com ments on this report, which you can send us via the website or by e-mail to responsibility@heineken.com. I cordially invite you to join us in shaping our future. Chairman of the Executive Board of Heineken N.V. TOWARDS SUSTA INABILITY 7

Jaarverslagen en Personeelsbladen Heineken

Heineken - Milieuverslag | 2002 | | pagina 9