Coca-Cola Enterprises Recognized for Outstanding Water Management and Reduction Performance
Company is one of first businesses to achieve new international Carbon Trust Water Standard
LONDON, February 19, 2013 /3BL Media/ – Coca-Cola Enterprises (NYSE/NYSE Euronext Paris: CCE), which produces, markets and distributes Coca-Cola products in Western Europe, today became one of the first companies to be awarded the new Carbon Trust Water Standard, an international award for water reduction.
The Water Standard award recognizes CCE’s leadership in measuring, managing and reducing water use. The company achieved its lowest ever water use ratio of 1.4 litres to make 1 litre of product in 2012 – a reduction of 14.6% since 2007. CCE’s sustainability plan commits it to setting the standard for water efficiency, establishing a water sustainable operation and minimizing water impacts throughout its entire value chain.
“Water is fundamental to our business and our communities. To be a sustainability leader, we recognise that we must fully understand our impact beyond carbon. By measuring and managing our water impact within our operations, as well as across our value chain, we can address longer-term water scarcity issues,” said John Brock, Chairman and CEO of Coca-Cola Enterprises. “This certification recognises the progress we have made towards becoming a water-sustainable operation.”
CCE is also supporting the Carbon Trust’s campaign to help businesses prioritize water use. A recent survey by the Carbon Trust found that although most international business leaders agreed that carbon emissions are a priority risk, fewer than half of them recognized that they needed to take action on water.
CCE was one of the first companies to work with the Carbon Trust to pilot the Water Standard, which conducts a rigorous and independent assessment of three measures – accurate water-use data, year-on-year reductions in consumption and demonstration of good water management.
For CCE, becoming a water-sustainable operation involves four elements:
- Protecting water sources for its operations and communities;
- Reducing the amount of water used;
- Recycling waste water by ensuring it is treated and returned to the environment at standards supporting aquatic life;
- Replenishing the water that goes into its beverages in areas of water stress or where water quality may be an issue; CCE has prioritized Flanders, Belgium, South East England and Marseille, Southeast France.
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Reducing Water Use: Coca-Cola Enterprises Case Study
Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) is using less water by becoming more water-efficient through a range of efficiency programs, new technologies and the commitment of its employees. CCE’s factories in France and Great Britain are the most water-efficient Coca-Cola production plants in the world.
The company has made major changes to specific elements of its manufacturing process, including using dry and semi-dry lubricants to move cans and PET bottles along production lines, employing air (rather than water) rinsers to rinse bottles and cans before they are filled, using recycle and reclaim loops that recover any water used for further cleaning processes and harvesting rainwater which is then used for washing vehicles and for flushing staff toilets.
CCE ensures that 100% of its wastewater is treated and returned to the environment at standards supporting aquatic life, and of its 17 manufacturing sites have environmental management systems, certified to ISO 14001, which help the company to manage its wastewater.
CCE is looking at its water impact upstream and downstream of its value chain. The company is committed to protecting its water sources and in 2012 has developed and/or updated source water protection plans at each of its 17 manufacturing sites– based on initial source water vulnerability assessments.
The company is also working on replenishing the water it uses in its beverages. In 2012, it started working in partnership with WWF UK, The Coca-Cola Company, the North West Kent Countryside Partnership and the Norfolk Rivers Trust to improve the local river habitat of the River Nar (Norfolk), and is working with local farmers to enhance local land management practices.
About Coca-Cola Enterprises
Coca-Cola Enterprises, Inc. (CCE) is the leading Western European marketer, producer, and distributer of non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages and one of the world’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottlers. CCE is the sole licensed bottler for products of The Coca-Cola Company in Belgium, continental France, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden. We operate with a local focus and have 17 manufacturing sites across Europe, where we manufacture nearly 90% of our products in the markets in which they are consumed. Corporate responsibility and sustainability is core to our business, and we have been recognized by leading organizations in North America and Europe for our progress in water use reduction, carbon footprint reduction and recycling initiatives. For more information about our company, please visit our website at www.cokecce.com and follow us on twitter at @cokecce.
