Water Use
High-quality water is fundamental to our business. It is a key ingredient in our beers and soft drinks and is used in the brewing process for cleaning, cooling and steam production. The majority of water not used in our products is then returned to watersheds through bio-treatment systems that meet local water quality standards. Water is also an important consideration in our agricultural businesses and our raw material supply chain. Over the past year, we have steadily reduced our global water usage rate by employing a mix of low-tech fixes, operational innovations and employee-driven actions to optimize efficiency in every facility. In 2011, the company’s average water use was 3.71 hectoliters per hectoliter of production, which represents an 8.2% reduction versus 2010, and a 13.7% reduction against its 2009 baseline or of the equivalent of some 9,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools1.
