9
Every Drop - protecting water resources
Water balancing in
water-stressed areas
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O O Qs
Introduction Report of the Executive Board Report of the Supervisory Board
2020 commitment
Aim for significant water balancing by
our production units in water-scarce and
water-stressed areas
Our progress /g\
More to do
Our contribution to the SDGs:
6.6 Protect and restore water-related ecosystems
We believe we should make a positive contribution
to the health of local watersheds where our
breweries are located, especially in parts of the
world that are water stressed.
We are committed to balancing the water we use
in water-stressed areas. This means we aim to
replenish the water that goes into our products and,
in effect, leaves the local water cycle. We do this
through projects that replenish water in the same
watershed as our operation.
Water balancing projects range from nature-based
solutions, like restoring wetlands and reforestation,
to socially-focused projects such as repairing
infrastructure and enabling farmers to use less water.
With each watershed being unique, it takes time
and effort to identify the right projects and the right
partners. By end of 2019, 15 of the 241 production
units in scope had started water balancing projects.
For more on our water stewardship approach and progress,
see our website and case studies
- In Mexico, we donated 83 hectares of irrigation
rights to NGO Restauremos El Colorado, which
will help to bring the river back to life and restore
wetland areas in the Colorado River delta.
- We began small-scale reforestation projects near
our Bedele and Harar breweries in Ethiopia.
- We signed an agreement to support social and
economic development by creating access to
clean water in the Siwa Oasis, one of Egypt's most
isolated settlements.
- In Spain, the Tajo Watershed authority signed a
Letter of Intent supporting our project to restore
the wetlands of Belvis del Jarama, near our
Madrid Brewery.
- We are working with UNIDO to explore potential
rainwater harvesting using the roofs of our brewery
and neighbouring business premises in Algeria.
Projects and partners have been identified for the
remaining sites, with most due to start work in 2020.
Measuring the outcomes and impacts of water
balancing is essential and complex. We use the
Volumetric Benefit Accounting (VBA) standard,
launched by the World Resources Institute in 2019,
across all markets in scope.
We continue to carry out local source vulnerability
assessments to identify additional breweries that
may be in water-stressed locations. Of the three sites
in Greece under investigation last year, none were
confirmed to be water stressed. Our Cabuyao brewery
in the Philippines and Pacatuba brewery in Brazil
have been identified as being in water-stressed areas.
Today, 29 of the 165 breweries we operate around the
world have been identified as water stressed.
Looking ahead
Every Drop puts the health of local watersheds at the
heart of our approach. We will fully balance every
litre of water we use in our products in areas that
are water stressed. We will collaborate with other
water users to create impact at scale for both nature
and communities.
Financial Statements
Sustainability Review
Heineken N.V. Annual Report 2019
Other Information
Water balancing in Spain
HEINEKEN Spain joined forces with the Valencia
Regional Government to restore the riparian zone
of the Poyo ravine, replacing cane - an invasive,
water intensive plant - with indigenous vegetation,
Research by the Polytechnic University of Valencia has
found the outcomes of this work to be equivalent to
saving 400,000 m3 water per year,
