Greentech Lead America: Coca-Cola has decided to reduce
its water use ratio while growing product volume, with a target to improve
water efficiency by 20 percent by 2012.
The soft drink major has released its fifth annual Global
Water Stewardship and Replenish Report. According to the report, Coca-Cola is
improving its water performance and managing its water resources to deliver
water for health and human prosperity.
“The future of communities, nature and business depends
on responsible water management. To overcome today’s water challenges we must
all take extraordinary action. At Coca-Cola, we’re utilizing innovative
techniques and collaborating through world-class partnerships to ensure the
sustainability of this precious shared resource,” said Bea Perez, chief
sustainability officer, Coca-Cola.
In 2007, the Coca-Cola Company initiated a program
targeted to safely return to nature and to communities an amount of water
equivalent to what is used in all of its beverages and their production by
2020.
As part of this program, the company is recycling the
water used by the company in its manufacturing processes and returning it back
to the environment at a level that supports aquatic life.
The company also planned to replenish or offset the water
used in the company’s finished beverages by participating in locally relevant
projects that support communities and nature.
The 2012 Global Water Stewardship and Replenish Report
details Coca-Cola’s advancement toward these targets: Since 2004, the company
has achieved a 16 percent improvement in its water use ratio. The company
estimates that 96 percent of its facilities are in compliance with its
stringent wastewater treatment standards.
Approximately 54.8 billion liters of water have been
replenished to communities and nature through locally relevant community water
partnership projects, representing 35 percent of water used in the company’s
finished beverages.
Coca-Cola partners with its bottlers and suppliers, as
well as with more than 500 external organizations, including governments, NGOs,
civil society and other companies, to meet its water stewardship goals.