WWF and Coca-Cola: new partnership to conserve freshwater resources

The Coca-Cola Company has launched a multi-year partnership with WWF to conserve and protect freshwater resources, including seven of the world’s most important freshwater river basins. “We are focusing on water because this is where The Coca-Cola Company can have a real and positive impact,” E. Neville Isdell, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, told WWF's annual meeting in Beijing. “Our goal is to replace every drop of water we use in our beverages and their production. For us that means reducing the amount of water used to produce our beverages, recycling water used for manufacturing processes so it can be returned safely to the environment, and replenishing water in communities and nature through locally relevant projects.”

As part of its US$ 20 million pledge, Coca-Cola will support more efficient water management in its operations and global supply chain, and reduce the company’s carbon footprint. “The Coca-Cola Company is answering the call to help solve the global freshwater crisis through this bold partnership,” said James Leape, Director General of WWF International. “The company is stepping into new and uncharted territory, and we look forward to working together to meet the bold commitments they have made to water stewardship.” For every litre of Coke, just the sugar in it requires between 170 to 250 litres of water.

The partnership will focus on conserving seven critical freshwater river basins: China’s Yangtze; South-east Asia’s Mekong; the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo of South-west United States and Mexico; the rivers and streams of the South-eastern United States; the water basins of the Mesoamerican Caribbean Reef; the East Africa basin of Lake Malawi; and Europe’s Danube River. The company skipped India, where it faces protests for allegedly depleting ground water.

Source: WWF, 5 Jun 2007

Keywords

• Governance
• Water resources management