149
Reporting basis and governance of non-financial indicators (continued)
Reliability and accuracy of data
Definitions and governance per indicator
'Every drop': protecting water resources
Report of the
Report of the
Financial
Sustainability
Other
Introduction
Executive Board
Supervisory Board
Statements
Review
Information
Heineken N.V. Annual Report 2017
We have processes governing the collection, review and validation of the non-financial data included in this reporting, at both local operating company
and global level. Subject matter experts are involved at various levels to validate and challenge the data and process.
We are continuously formulating and applying uniform definitions and instructions for reporting purposes, in orderto improve the accuracy and
comparability of data. Where possible, standard calculations are built into our systems to minimise errors. Despite the continuous strengthening
of our data collection processes and the fact that our operating companies and data owners have reported to the best of their knowledge, in good
faith and in accordance with agreed procedures, it is not possible to ascertain 100% completeness of data contained in our report. Our operating
companies are at differing maturity levels with regards to implementing the various data collection processes. Where we have concerns, we highlight
them in the report.
HEINEKEN Global Audit is involved in the annual review of the non-financial indicator reporting process, including reviewing the quality of control
processes at various levels, data ownership and clarity of definitions. For 2017, Global Audit reviewed the text statements in this report.
Deloitte provides limited assurance on the selected indicators as described in detail in the Assurance report of the independent auditor.
We gather data in accordance with guidelines and definitions based on the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI Standards) Guidelines, unless stated
otherwise. Overall, we aim to align with international standards, and, if not available, we work with industry partners such as the Beverage Industry
and Environmental Roundtable (BIER) to develop common practices. For some of our responsible consumption measures, we track implementation
in accordance with industry agreements (for example, labels on our packaging).
The table below provides more information on definitions and how we manage and govern the reported indicators. Additional information can be
found in the sustainability section of the Company website and the document 'Basis of Preparation Non-Financial Indicators' accompanying
this report.
Specific water consumption Hectolitre water intake per hectolitre volume produced of beer, cider, soft drinks and water. Water intake minus
water exported. We make detailed action plans for reducing water use in our breweries, embedded within the Total
Productive Management (TPM) framework. Examples of actions are reducing water losses in the pasteuriser and
solving leakages. We focus our water efforts on breweries in water-stressed areas, which is the reason why we have
a separate water consumption target for these breweries
Total water withdrawal The total volume of water withdrawn from the following sources:
- Surface water, including water from wetlands, rivers, lakes, and oceans
- Groundwater
- Rainwater collected directly and stored by the organisation
- Municipal water supplies or other water utilities
Wastewater treated The volume of wastewatertreated expressed in m3. It is our policy to ensure all of our wastewater volumes are
treated - by us or by a third party- before being discharged into surface water. Those breweries currently lacking
wastewater treatment infrastructure are part of our future investment planning
Wastewater quantity31 All wastewater coming from the brewery (m3)
Wastewater treatment plant Plant removing contaminants from the brewery's wastewater and producing environmentally safe treated
wastewater before releasing it into the environment.
Third party plant: an external party (most often a municipal plant) taking care of the treatment of brewery
wastewater and subsequent discharge into surface water
This indicator relates to the pollution load of the effluent that is discharged into surface water from our breweries.
This excludes the wastewater which is treated by third parties. COD stands for Chemical Oxygen Demand, which is
a measure forthe pollution of water with organic material
Refers to the ability, or lack thereof, to meet human and ecological demand for water. Compared to scarcity, 'water stress'
is a more inclusive and broader concept. It considers several physical aspects related to water resources, including water
scarcity, but also water quality, environmental flows, and the accessibility of water. Every five years, we assess current and
future risks arising from the watersheds in which our breweries are located. In 2015 we undertook a water risk assessment
with WWF International across ourtotal operational footprint-fully consolidated as well as Joint Ventures-and on our
barley-sourcing areas. Production sites identified as potentially located in a water-stressed area need to complete a Source
Vulnerability Assessment (SVA). This enables us to obtain a clear picture of the local water situation, identify relevant
stakeholders and explore the need for activities that increase water retention or promote the health of ecosystems. The
outcomes serve as a basis for local Source Water Protection Plans, which includes the plans for water balancing. The
outcome of the assessment can also indicate that water risks are negligible and that no further actions are required
Effluent organic load to
surface water (kg COD)32
Water stress
31 This specific indicator will be disclosed by end of March 2018 in the sustainability section of the Company website.
32 HEINEKEN Energy Efficiency Index is the energy consumption of the fridge divided by the average energy consumption of similar HEINEKEN fridges on the marketin 2010, multiplied by 100.
