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Water is essential for life. In this document, we describe how water sustain-
ability, protection and stewardship are integrated
As the world’s leading food and beverage company, throughout all areas related to our activities, including
and the world leader in bottled waters, Nestlé has manufacturing of our products, their preparation
a responsibility towards the sustainable use of by consumers, and production of our bottled waters.
water resources. This responsibility is embedded in Our practices, initiatives and achievements are
our Corporate Business Principles and in our highlighted through a wide range of case studies
strategy for sustainability. taken from actual Nestlé operations.
Our Company was founded in 1867 by Henri Nestlé We ensure proper stewardship practices both inside
with the invention of the first successful cereal-milk and outside Nestlé. Water management training
infant food. In fact, Henri Nestlé had already programmes have been implemented at our offices
developed a bottled water business in the 1840s. and sites. We consult with local communities on
Since its creation, our Swiss-based Company water issues. In many countries, support for water
has had its head office situated on the shores of Lake education has been extended to non-governmental
Geneva, in a region of clear lakes and pure rivers. organisations, that are highly active in this field.
Today, as we move foreward in the 21st century, Finally, the fact that we have continuously reduced
we are fully convinced that a business strategy for the quantity of water used to manufacture each
high-quality food and beverage products can only be kilo of Nestlé product, even with a considerable
maintained by business practices founded on the growth in our bottled water business, clearly shows
principle of long-term sustainable development. This that our commitment to sustainable use of water
applies, in particular, to water and the way this scarce resources is given the utmost attention throughout
and renewable resource is used. our Company. I intend to make sure that this
continues in the future.
The Nestlé Water Policy, provided herein, describes
our commitment to the sustainable use of
water resources. It complements The Nestlé Policy
on the Environment.
P. Brabeck-Letmathe
Chief Executive Officer
Nestlé and Water Sustainability, Protection, Stewardship 4
5
Water, a scarce
and renewable resource
Water is essential for life. It represents about 60% The World Health Organisation has identified the
of an adult’s body weight and some 75% of a lack or poor quality of drinking water as one
new-born baby’s body weight. On average a loss of the world’s leading causes of mortality. Indeed,
of 12% of our body water (approximately, 5 litres) 1.2 billion people in the world still don’t have access
can cause serious illness. to a drinking water system, and 2.5 to 3 billion lack
decent sanitary facilities.
At first sight, water would appear to be an abundant
resource on our so-called “blue planet”. The World Summit on Sustainable Development
(WSSD), convened in Johannesburg in 2002,
However, 97.5% of the world’s water is in the form produced a Plan of Implementation that included
of salt water in our seas and oceans. 70% of the the launch of an action programme, with financial
remaining 2.5% of fresh water is frozen in polar ice- and technical assistance, to halve, by 2015,
bergs and glaciers. So, in fact, the fresh water those without access to safe drinking water or
that is available for both human and environmental basic sanitation.
needs represents barely 1% of the earth’s total
water mass. At the beginning of the 21st century, water is as
valuable and scarce as it has ever been. However,
The increase in the world’s population – approxi- in contrast to mining resources and hydrocarbons,
mately two billion people in the past 30 years – has water is a renewable resource, unlikely ever to
considerably reduced the per capita availability of be exhausted by human activities. Year to year, the
water resources. Although the need for water is average amount of the earth’s total rainfall is
rising steadily, accessible water remains unevenly sufficient to meet total needs. But there are many
distributed: 23 of the 190 countries in the world parts of the world where the gap between rainfall
have 66% of the resources. and needs creates significant water shortage.
The effects of human activity must also be taken into To ensure its sustainability, this wonderful, natural
account. Pollution has an enduring impact – both on resource must therefore be protected and managed
freshwater quantity and quality – whether its source with the utmost care by all involved.
is urban, industrial or farm-related.
Nestlé and Water Sustainability, Protection, Stewardship 6
7
Nestlé’s commitment to
sustainable water use
Nestlé supports the sustainable use of water,
strictly controls its utilisation in the Company’s
activities and strives for continuous improvement
in the management of water resources.
9
Nestlé and Water Sustainability, Protection, Stewardship Nestlé’s commitment to sustainable water use 10
long-term social and economic develop- Its convenience and portability are also in tune with
ment, and preserving the environment today’s lifestyles and consumption modes – “on-the-
go” or in the office.
for future generations.
The Nestlé Sustainability Review, 2002
11
Agriculture 70%
Industry 20% + Nestlé 0.005%
Domestic 10% Nestlé Waters 0.0008%
Nestlé and Water Sustainability, Protection, Stewardship Nestlé’s commitment to sustainable water use 12
13
The Nestlé Water Policy complements The Nestlé 5. The Nestlé Environmental Management System
Policy on the Environment and includes the following: (NEMS) ensures the continuous improvement
of Nestlé’s environmental performance, including
1. Water is essential for nutrition. Nestlé Waters, management of water resources: objectives
the water business of Nestlé, provides a wide range are established, progress is monitored, results
of pure, safe, wholesome and convenient bottled are checked and corrective and preventive actions
waters of high quality to meet the increasing are implemented.
and varied needs of consumers throughout the
world. Protection of springs and their surroundings 6. As part of its broader commitment towards
is of primary importance in this endeavour. the good of the community, Nestlé:
• in co-operation with health authorities, promotes
2. Nestlé directs its worldwide research and to consumers the importance of using safe water
development network towards: for food and drink preparation; and
• the innovation and renovation of its products • provides education, supports initiatives and fosters
and processes, including manufacturing methods awareness of the importance of water resource
that minimise water consumption and waste conservation among employees, governments, local
water generation; communities, schools, industry, consumers and
• scientific research that is centred on the physiolo- other stakeholders.
gical and quality aspects of water.
The Company’s policy of local or regional production Contrex bottling plant, circa 1910
enables developing countries to move from being
simply a producer of agricultural raw materials
to being a manufacturer of finished products. As
a result, national governments across the world
seek out and welcome Nestlé investments, and the
Company is continually evaluating new opportunities
and investing in new operational facilities.
Case study From spas to a world market 17
As a manifestation of its respect for the environment Each year, 110 000 km 3 of rain fall across the world’s
and its support for sustainable development, Nestlé continents. About 64% of the rain evaporates, directly
has developed The Nestlé Policy on the Environment. or through vegetation, and 70% of the remaining
The cornerstone of the policy, first published in 1991 36% falls into watercourses. Some of this can then
and updated in 1999, is Nestlé’s long-standing com- be used for human purposes.
mitment to environmentally sound business practices
throughout the world. Barely 11% of the rain, 12 000 km 3 per year,
penetrates the ground. At this point it begins an
The policy has ensured that preserving natural underground journey that can last from several
resources and minimising waste have become an months to hundreds, or even thousands of years
integral part of the day-to-day activities in all before the water resurfaces as springs.
Nestlé operations, and also an integral element in
achieving global competitiveness.
Freshwater availability
In particular, this applies to water. does not always match local needs
Rain is the only source of renewable fresh water.
But unfortunately rainfall is erratic in time
Water is a renewable natural resource and location, creating both devastating floods
Water can be found in many forms and places on our and droughts.
planet, as rain and snow, streams and lakes, seas and
oceans, vapour and clouds, and ice, as well as water If more water is drawn from underground aquifers
in the ground and in vegetation. or lakes than is replenished by rain, then these
resources will disappear over time. In some regions
The total quantity of water on the planet is estimated the situation is already critical and once exhausted,
at 1400 million km 3 . Although this volume doesn’t water will no longer be available to meet the needs
vary, it continuously evolves in what is called the of future generations living in these regions.
water cycle – from vapour to liquid or ice, then with
the help of the sun, back again to vapour. However, it isn’t just a matter of quantity, but also
one of quality. Many watercourses and lakes would
be able to supply water sufficiently, if there was
adequate treatment of polluted water.
21
4 3
6
1
Actively protecting
water resources
A desirable water resource has to meet two sets of Resource protection extends to the whole catchment
criteria. Quantitatively, the available flow must satisfy area, the impluvium, which may cover as much as
today’s and tomorrow’s consumer demands. In 10 000 hectares, as is the case for the Vittel and
addition, water quality must comply with local regula- Contrex springs in France. At these springs, an obser-
tions and be guaranteed over a long period of time. vation network continuously monitors surface waters
and controls activities in the catchment area. This
In this context, Nestlé Waters applies robust water means that risks of pollution are quickly identified,
resource protection measures. These relate to three and effective preventive actions are implemented, all
aspects. First, the need to select water resources with the ultimate objective of avoiding any adverse
in environmentally sound areas. Second, focusing impacts to the water resource.
resource protection on water withdrawal facilities.
And third, protecting the whole catchment area. Over the years, Nestlé Waters has acquired a
unique and diversified experience in water resource
To avoid any risk of altering the natural quality of protection and management throughout the world.
the water resource, withdrawal sites are protected Whatever the operating conditions, Nestlé Waters’
against possible intrusion, deterioration or interest and duty is always to strive to ensure
destruction. To avoid infiltration of surface water, the water resource’s sustainability – and to protect
stringent technical specifications are applied. the ecosystem.
Full certification of the source and regular analysis
of water samples are carried out to guarantee the
physical, chemical and microbiological composition
of the water.
Case study France 23
Sustainable development
around sources
Located in the heart of the Vosges
mountains in France, Nestlé Waters’
Vittel and Contrex springs are
surrounded by fields and forests. In the
early 1970’s, intensification of farming
practices led to concerns about
imbalances in the local ecosystem.
Strengthening
water resource protection
The use of fertilisers and pesticides
has been minimised and is strictly
monitored. Agricultural activities are
recommended along organic farming
principles. Any new activity has to
receive prior authorisation in the form
of a Water Impact Declaration.
Some significant polluting activities
are totally prohibited.
Preventing
forest fires
At the Perrier spring in Vergèze,
France, preventing forest fires in the
catchment area is a key component
of Nestlé Waters´ systematic water
resource protection policy. Any
significant destruction of the vegetal
cover would have an impact on
surface water run-off and infiltration
patterns. Additionally, chemicals
used by fire fighters might affect
ground water quality.
Nestlé’s primary business is the transformation of Strict quality criteria are applied to all raw materials
perishable raw materials into high quality, safe and ingredients entering the Nestlé supply chain.
and wholesome food and drink products that meet Where possible, preference is given to raw materials
the needs of consumers throughout their lives. and ingredients that are produced by sustainable
In this process, Nestlé addresses the environment farming practices.
with an integrated approach throughout the supply
chain, from purchasing raw materials to manufac- When Nestlé sources its raw materials directly from
turing, packing, and distributing products, to their farmers, it can have a larger influence on their
end-use by consumers. implementation of sustainable agricultural practices,
including water use. Nestlé provides farmers with
This means that at each step in the supply chain, technical assistance, and for many years, the
specific measures are taken to preserve water Company’s agricultural experts have been advising
resource and reduce water effluents. them on sustainable farming methods, related both
to agricultural produce and fresh milk production.
Water and raw materials On the basis of its experience, Nestlé has participated
in the recent launch of the Sustainable Agriculture
Nestlé doesn’t grow its raw materials, nor does it Initiative (SAI), a food industry initiative that actively
own or operate farms. It sources its raw materials supports the worldwide development of sustainable
and ingredients either through trade channels, or agriculture, including improvement of water usage.
directly from producers, or from the primary food
processing industry. As a result, its influence on the Modern biotechnology or gene technology has the
use of water in agriculture is somewhat indirect. potential to contribute to sustainable agricultural
practices. Environmental data from multi-year
The major agricultural raw materials used by Nestlé practical experience with genetically modified crops
are milk, coffee, cocoa and sugar. Apart from sugar, in the USA has shown that insect-resistant and
these require little irrigation compared with rice, herbicide-tolerant crops can effectively reduce the
vegetables, corn or cotton. Sugar is sourced through use of pesticides. Apart from direct advantages
the trade, so the Company has little or no influence for the environment and for farmers, a decrease in
on its production. the net amount of agrochemicals used can also
help protect the quality of ground water.
As part of its overall commitment to sustainable
development, Nestlé supports and encourages Feeding an ever-increasing population puts
the development of sustainable agriculture defined considerable pressure on the available arable land.
as a productive, competitive and efficient way In the near future, crops that are adjusted to adverse
to produce agricultural raw materials, while at the growth conditions, such as saline environments
same time protecting and improving the natural or drought, could help to reduce this pressure.
environment and social/economic conditions
of local communities.
Case study France 28
Préférence, a partnership
for sustainable milk production
Milk is a major raw material for Nestlé.
It is therefore of utmost importance
to ensure its quality and long-term
availability – in other words, its
sustainable production. To this end,
Nestlé France has developed the
Préférence approach, a quality assur-
ance partnership with dairy farmers.
Together with Nestlé experts, farmers
review all aspects of milk production
and then set up – and implement –
best agricultural practices.
Water in manufacturing
26.1
26
25.3
24.5
24 23.4
22
8 7.63 160
7 140
6 120
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Saving water
through employee involvement
Nestlé’s Harrismith factory in South Projects implemented so far include of municipal water used in the factory.
Africa formed a special work team the recovery of water generated by Cows’ water, for example, is now
comprising both management and milk evaporation (so-called “cows’ used for washing tankers prior to their
employees, to identify and implement water”), the optimisation of steam entering the factory, in cooling
projects to reduce water usage condensate recovery, and the control towers and ice plant, for cleaning, and
and effluent disposal. To date the for gardening. To ensure ongoing
team has realised average daily water savings, water consumption is
savings of 40%. analysed daily, and updated informa-
tion is made available to employees
Each team member was allocated on a weekly basis.
specific tasks, including project
co-ordination, training of employees The team is still in action, working
and contractors, administrative hard to meet its objective, and
work, tracking and monitoring costs, has identified several more water
water flowmeter reading and saving opportunities which are now
recordings, supervision of water being implemented.
usage, purchasing, plant inspections,
marketing and communication. Storage tanks for recovered water
Case study Italy 32
Optimising
water use in factories
Italy provides a good example of First of all, the quantity of water A further efficiency relates to the
how Nestlé Waters is continuously withdrawn has been optimised. This ground water used to rinse the glass
improving its production processes has been done by using improved bottles prior to filling. This ground
to optimise water use in its factories. measurement technology, process water is different from the natural
Many measures to protect the automation and on-line monitoring of mineral water that is bottled, and by
resource and preserve its quantity flow and pressure levels. careful filtering and recycling,
and quality for future generations have more than half of it has been saved.
been implemented in Cepina, which Secondly, water use efficiency has
produces Levissima natural mineral increased – up to best practice level – Finally, the installation of evaporative
water, in Ruspino, which produces by further improvements to bottling cooling towers and other new cooling
S.Pellegrino natural mineral water, and machines and ancillary equipment. systems to recycle water, has resulted
in Scarperia, which produces Acqua in a 95% industrial water saving.
Panna natural mineral water. All in all, these measures have gener-
ated annual savings of natural mineral
water in the range of 10% to 20%.
33
Reduction of waste water generation Significant efforts have been made not only to
When water cannot be re-used, either in the manu- reduce the volume but also the load of waste water
facturing process or for external factory purposes, generated by manufacturing operations. For example,
it is treated and returned to the environment. the implementation of dry cleaning methods prior
to wet washing of equipment has resulted in a
During 1997-2001, waste water discharge per tonne significant reduction in biochemical oxygen demand
of product was reduced and, thus, eco-efficiency, (BOD), a measure of waste water load.
i.e. the ability to manufacture more with less waste
water generated, improved by 34%. The overall To cite another example, the Maggi factory in
waste water volume generated in Nestlé factories Lüdinghausen, Germany, modified its instant noodles
was reduced by 12%. manufacturing process from water to steam cooking.
This generated a considerable reduction of waste
water load, decreasing the cost of waste water
treatment by 30% and avoiding expansion of the
waste water treatment plant.
8.86 174
9 175
165
161
8 158
152
7.11 – 34% 150
7 6.62
6.30
5.87
6
125
4 100
1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Continuously improving
waste water management
The long-term viability of the Nestlé treatment plant according
Nanjangud factory in India is to operational needs, improved
dependent on a sustainable water its performance.
supply and effective waste water • Concentrating highly loaded and
management. The management team heavily coloured waste waters prior
has identified and implemented to their incineration with energy re-
many projects to conserve water and covery, significantly reduced the load
improve the performance of the on the waste water treatment plant.
factory waste water treatment plant.
As a result, since 1999, water con-
Examples include: sumption per tonne of product has Waste water treatment plant
• Re-using suitable water streams been reduced by 29%, and waste
in the cooling tower reduced water water generation per tonne of product
use by 120 m 3 /day. reduced by 46%. What is more, all In spite of these achievements, the
• Adjusting the operating configura- the treated waste water from the Nanjangud factory is committed to re-
tion of the waste water treatment Nanjangud factory is used to irrigate alising even better performance, and
plant improved its efficiency. 108 000 m 2 of plantations on the improvements to the waste water
• Storing particular waste waters, factory premises. treatment plant are continuously being
and their release to the waste water made to optimise its efficiency.
Recycling suitable
water streams
The Nestlé factory at Chachoengsao clarification, sand filtering, reverse
in Thailand was opened in 1992. Water osmosis with high recovery and
availability was known to be a problem demineralisation. The treated raw
as there were only two available water is used for coffee processing
sources. One is pumped from an under- and, once re-mineralised, for drinking
ground supply, which is slightly salty, and for the amenities block.
and the other from an irrigation
channel, which is dependent on rainfall. After appropriate treatment, suitable
water streams are recycled in cooling
To address this problem, Nestlé towers or used for irrigation purposes.
engineers developed processes for Reverse osmosis They can now also be discharged
the treatment of the raw water, and off site.
the re-use and recycling of suitable
water streams – all in accordance with Sophisticated methods are used The benefit from all these processes
Nestlé quality standards. Coupled with to treat the raw water. They include: has been a 20% improvement in
these solutions, water conservation silica removal, flocculation and water efficiency.
has been and still is of highest priority. coagulation, cold lime softening,
35
Expansion and improvement Another recent example is from the Nestlé El Talar
of waste water treatment ice cream factory in Argentina. In order to handle
At Nestlé, the provision of waste water treatment increased production and meet tighter legal
began many decades ago and has always been operational limits, some CHF 4.5 million was spent
an ongoing process. New technology is incorporated, in modifying its waste water treatment plant.
existing waste water treatment plants are upgraded, Environmental aspects that could affect the neigh-
and new ones built. Whenever possible, Nestlé seeks bourhood were given special attention. The waste
out innovative solutions. water treatment plant was developed over the
smallest surface and partly underground to diminish
For instance, in 2002, Nestlé Waters installed its visual impact. External noise and odours are
constructed wetlands as enhancements to the waste strictly controlled and a forest barrier has been
water disposal systems at its sites in the USA at placed around the plant. To achieve all this required
Mecosta, Michigan and Cabazon, California. the use of the most recent technology, in some
Wetlands are nature’s own filtration system and are cases for the first time in the country.
environmentally friendly. Not only are they a natural
way to clean used water and return it to the In many cases, Nestlé invested not only in its own
earth, they also create a natural habitat for wildlife. infrastructure, but also in that of the local community.
An added benefit is that this innovative method The Company works closely with local governments
eliminates the need to haul waste water away to assess the need for municipal waste water
by trucks, and also reduces the demand on local treatment plants and often helps finance the cost
municipal waste treatment facilities. of their construction.
Working closely with key suppliers, Nestlé has also Packaging recycling
been able to reduce energy consumption along the In addition to packaging source reduction and
entire packaging materials supply chain. recyclability, systems also need to be put in place
for the collection, separation and recovery of
Nestlé Waters now manufactures most of its bottles used packaging.
on site. This enhances product quality but also
benefits the environment, as it does away with the In some countries, particularly within the European
need for thousands of truckloads of empty bottles. Union, legislation sets ambitious recycling targets
for used packaging. To fulfil these requirements,
To keep pace with changing consumer lifestyles, several European countries have established national
Nestlé Waters continuously innovates, producing recovery schemes. These include for instance DSD
bottles in many new shapes and sizes. For example, in Germany and Eco-Emballages in France. Nestlé
50 new PET bottles were introduced in 2001. While has participated actively in the development of these
weighing considerably less, each of these bottles schemes and in their management.
sports a new look that makes it more attractive and
more manageable. Nestlé Waters is particularly involved in collection
and recycling activities for used PET and
Another example that illustrates Nestlé Waters’ spirit glass packaging.
of innovation was the launch, in 2001, after extensive
research, of the first Perrier PET bottle. This has a The recycling of PET bottles, which started ten years
highly attractive package that preserves carbonation ago, has now reached significant mass. Some
while responding to the evolving needs of con- 1.2 million tonnes of PET bottles were collected and
sumers, especially those who are constantly “on-the- recycled worldwide in 2001, 15% more than in 2000.
go” and travel a lot. Of this, 40% was collected in North America, 30% in
Europe, 20% in Asia Pacific, and 10% in Australia,
Africa and Middle East.
Case studies Vietnam Saudi Arabia 40
A new life
for plastic caps
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Nestlé returned caps, and high-temperature Recycling of the plastic caps has
Waters distributes a water called recycling of the polyethylene. In clearly resulted in reduced environ-
Springs in five-gallon (19 litres) bottles this way, the Dammam plant recycles mental impact with savings in
from its bottling site at Dammam, the equivalent of six tonnes of packaging materials and less disposal
near the Persian Gulf. Containers are polyethylene a year. of used caps.
closed with plastic caps manufactured
on site using polyethylene granules.
Pure Life bottling plant, China Nestlé Waters block train, France
As another example, special pallets have been The Home & Office delivery business in the USA
developed to export Perrier natural mineral water consists of direct deliveries of five-gallon water
from France to North America. These pallets bottles to consumers at their home or work locations.
have enabled to increase the quantity shipped in Rationalisation of delivery routes has reduced
each container by around 20%, saving more than their number by 22%, resulting in annual savings
500 containers a year. In Canada, switching from of 13 million kilometres and 6 million litres of fuel.
48-ft. twin axle trailers to 53-ft. tri-axle trailers
resulted in loading 20% more weight on a truck and When the recent pan-European launch of Nestlé
a similar reduction in the number of shipments. Aquarel spring water was being planned, environ-
1430 shipments of Nestlé Waters products were mental concerns played a role in locating the various
saved in 2002. bottling facilities as close as possible to customers
and consumers.
Sustainable water management is an integral part And in Trinidad, the Valsayn factory received the
of NEMS. Prime Minister Trade and Environmental Award for
advancements made in waste water treatment.
Compliance with environmental legislation is a must.
When local legislation on water protection is non As another example, Nestlé Nigeria received the
existent or insufficient to meet the Company’s envi- National Roll of Honour for Environmental Achieve-
ronmental commitments, Nestlé’s Environmental ment Award from the Federal Environmental
Minimum Technical Requirements apply. These set Protection Agency for outstanding contributions
minimum requirements that must be followed in the toward the promotion of environmental protection
water area as well as in other environmental areas. and natural resource conservation.
NEMS framework
Environmental commitment
Appointing
“Environmental Guards”
In line with the Nestlé Environmental • expansion of recycling practices Software tools specifically related
Management System (NEMS), all in operations and promotion of to Nestlé Waters activity, have been
Nestlé Waters factories have a desig- curb-side recycling, and created to help factories implement
nated site environment co-ordinator. • employee environmental training their environmental programme.
and awareness. Diagensit helps with the setting
The site environment co-ordinator of action plans against programme
effectively acts as the “environmental objectives over a three year period.
guard” of the factory, ensuring: Perfensit serves as a report card on re-
• compliance with applicable local source consumption, waste generation
environmental regulations, with The and air emissions in the factory, and
Nestlé Policy on the Environment and aids the close monitoring of environ-
The Nestlé Water Policy, and with the mental performance indicators.
Nestlé Waters first-level environmen-
tal directives, Setting up a system doesn’t, in itself,
• protection and sustainability guarantee results. Only the men and
of ground water sources women who run the system through-
and surrounding eco-systems, out the Company make it succeed.
• conservation of all resources,
including water and energy, and
waste minimisation, “Environmental guard” monitoring
a water resource
47
Environmental sponsorship
Nestlé does not only protect the environment and As an example, every year, up to twelve million
the water resource at its sites, but also reaches out people visit the San Bernardino national forest in
beyond its own operations. The Company sponsors California, USA. In an effort to ensure that this
many public environmental projects related to water natural resource will be preserved for the future,
throughout the world. In particular, these include a Nestlé Waters North America annually contributes
wide range of environmental enhancement initiatives. money, leadership and volunteers to the San
Bernardino National Forest Association, an
As an example, in 1998, in the Pendeli mountains of organisation dedicated to teaching how to care
Greece, the forest suddenly went up in smoke. Nestlé for and wisely manage public lands.
Waters’ Korpi brand is sourced at a spring in the
mountains of the northern Peloponnese, a region Two of many projects Nestlé Waters funds within
of Greece unaffected by the fire. Nevertheless, Nestlé the association are the Children’s Forest and The Big
embarked on a reforestation project in the fire zone, Bear Discovery Centre. The Children’s Forest is an
planting more than 4000 trees in a 50 000 m 2 area. open-space centre where children throughout the
Los Angeles basin are taught about environmental
Under the guidance of local forestry experts, the stewardship. The Big Bear Discovery Centre provides
project went on for four years, making sure that the a spring-board for visitors to learn about the natural
trees were properly nurtured in their early stages of features within the San Bernardino forest, and is
growth. Local school children are actively encouraged a focal point for the many environmental activities
to visit the reforestation site. It all helps to increase in the forest.
environmental awareness among a new generation.
Acqua Levissima, one of the most areas of Mount Everest into open air Throughout the project, and to help
popular natural mineral waters in Italy, rubbish sites. Tonnes of waste are lay down the basis for future
comes from Alta Valtellina in the heart degrading the natural beauty and operations, the Levissima Foreverest
of the central Alps. Its purity is uniqueness of this mountain. Sir team worked with local people and
dependent on the natural purity of Edmund Hillary, the first man to con- organisations. Sherpas and Tibetan
these high mountains. Acqua quer Everest, has publicly declared: workers used yaks to carry the waste.
Levissima initiated “Levissima “Something must be done for Everest. The operation was fully supported
Foreverest”, a special project founded The most apparent aspect is the by the Tibetan Mountaineering Asso-
on respect and care for the environ- damage and rubbish – tonnes of it – ciation, which is the local organisation
ment on the world’s highest mountain, that have been left on the mountain”. responsible for expeditions in the
Mount Everest. Tibetan Himalayas. This association
will also manage the ecological island
For every mountain lover, Mount and disposal of any future waste.
Everest, at almost 9000 metres, has
always represented the ultimate Acqua Levissima set up a special
mountaineering challenge – an extra- website so that all mountain-lovers
ordinary test of courage and could share in the experience.
endurance. It is estimated that only Connecting to www.levissima.it during
10% of climbers setting out on the the period of the project, made it
Tibetan side, reach the top. possible to follow, day by day, the
progress of this dream made reality:
The low environmental respect shown cleaning up the roof of the world.
by these climbers and, more recently
by hikers, has transformed certain Base camp
Case study Hungary 49
Social aspects
Nestlé’s future success is dependent on satisfying
consumers’ needs for food and beverages that
have guaranteed high quality and uncompromising
safety. In this context, Nestlé recognises the
crucial role of legitimate public authorities, and
the importance of developing long-term, mutually
rewarding relationships with other stakeholders.
51
Nestlé and Water Sustainability, Protection, Stewardship Social aspects 52
Shuangcheng, China
guidelines, the spirit of which should be respected training programmes, including basic literacy, Nestlé
under all circumstances. Individual responsibility invests substantially in improving the capabilities
and strong leadership are emphasised in this policy. and skills of its employees.
It focuses also on life-long learning and finding an
appropriate work/life balance. In 2002, the Nestlé international training centre
located in Switzerland, trained 1800 senior
managers, covering more than a hundred nationalities.
Accumulated know-how, The faculty of the international training centre
training, and transfer of technology comprises the senior management of Nestlé itself.
The Nestlé business model is based on acquiring
knowledge and skills around the globe, and then With increasing use of information technology,
transferring that cumulated experience to nationals in Nestlé companies have appointed corporate training
each operating country. Long before “globalisation” specialists in “distance e-learning”. This helps
became a popular topic of attention, Nestlé was employees to tailor their learning to their specific
building factories and investing in training and needs and time constraints.
development at the local level all over the world.
Many of Nestlé’s most important brands are either
In many developed and developing countries this global or regional, and these brands are vital conduits
involves the creation of comprehensive apprentice- for the transfer of technology and know-how across
ship programmes. Through these programmes, Nestlé companies.
and through thousands of internal and external
Alacarte training
to improve performance
Alacarte is an in-house, tailor-made, their Alacarte modules according Courses usually take place at the head-
CD-ROM based training programme to their specific training needs. Several quarters, so that employees from
developed by Nestlé Waters for its sessions are held each year, and around the world can have the opportu-
employees. It focuses on finance, modules are updated continuously. nity to meet their colleagues, develop
operations and production – including networks and share experiences.
environmental protection. Four years An important and valuable aspect of
after its launch, some 1300 people Alacarte is the involvement of senior Alacarte makes a significant contribu-
from about 30 countries have benefited managers. Their role is to present tion to improving the overall perform-
from the programme. and share their knowledge on how to ance of the Company. While providing
do business at Nestlé Waters. For training tools adapted to individual
Alacarte is unusual in that it comprises example, the financial modules are needs, it also unites management
a number of individual training developed entirely by Nestlé Waters methods by applying concepts
modules which last from half a day to finance managers who also train and values that are common across
a full week. Participants can choose the course participants. the Company.
Nestlé and Water Sustainability, Protection, Stewardship Social aspects 54
The geographical breakdown of consumption remains For example, Hépar is a French natural mineral water
extremely uneven. European consumption with 49 bil- that is particularly rich in magnesium. By drinking a
lion litres per year far exceeds that of other conti- litre a day, consumers can increase their magnesium
nents, i.e. Latin America (23 billion litres), North capital in less than four days. Hépar is one of the
America (21 billion litres), Asia/Oceania (22 billion “stars” of the so-called “anti-fatigue products”, and
litres), and Africa/Middle East (11 billion litres). as a result of its magnesium content, contributes
to some 300 bodily functions, including regulation
In line with Nestlé’s raison d’être of satisfying of the intestinal tract.
consumer needs whenever, wherever and however,
Nestlé Waters is intending to extend its presence Natural mineral waters such as Vittel and Contrex
around the world. To satisfy the steadily growing have a high calcium content. Indispensable for strong
demand means that the Company must keep on bones and teeth, a litre of high-calcium natural
pursuing its policy of innovation. mineral water can provide up to half one’s daily
calcium needs. Several studies found that calcium
from natural mineral water was effective in boosting
bone mass, and that bone mass loss can be
prevented at any age.
Because water contains no calories, drinking bottled In Germany, Nestlé “Wellness” is the first 100%
water instead of sugar-containing beverages signifi- wellbeing water on the market. It is made from
cantly helps to reduce a person’s total daily energy carbonated natural spring water enriched with
intake. Coupled with a moderate amount of physical natural extracts of ginger, plants and fruits.
activity, this reduction will help in either losing body
weight or maintaining it. The new Perrier Fluo range of waters mixes Perrier
natural mineral water with different flavours
made from natural plant and fruit extracts. It contains
Pleasure as well as functional benefits less than half the sugar of a regular soft drink.
The bottled water market is constantly launching
products with new benefits. Recently there has
been a surge of flavoured waters which combine
naturalness with the pleasure of different
taste sensations.
Involvement
in the community
All Nestlé operations and employees are an integral The Polish people were quick to contribute, sending
part of local communities throughout the world. money and first-aid supplies to victims. For their
part, the Naleczowianka plant employees volunteered
Water plays a crucial role in every community. to carry out a special production run. During
However, some developing countries – and even an eight-hour work shift, they produced tens of
some developed countries – lack the necessary thousands of bottles of water which were donated
infrastructures for water. To improve water resources to charitable organisations, including the Red Cross,
and accessibility, Nestlé contributes to the wellbeing for delivery to the disaster zones.
of local communities through the personal commit-
ment of its employees, through financial assistance, As another example, within hours of the tragedy in
and through the sharing of know-how. The focus the USA on September 11, 2001, Nestlé Waters North
is on water education and capacity building in water America delivered truckloads of Poland Spring and
resource management, as well as on public environ- Deer Park bottled water to relief agencies, including
mental projects related to water, as seen previously. AmeriCares, the Red Cross and the National Guard.
In total, more than one million bottles were donated
In the case of natural disasters, access to food and for distribution at Ground Zero in New York City
water is critical. Nestlé donates products to relief and the Pentagon, Washington, DC.
organisations and to victims.
Beyond water donations, hundreds of employees
As an example, heavy rain fell two years ago on contributed both directly and indirectly to the relief
the northern and south-eastern regions of Poland, efforts. These ranged from handing out water to
causing major floods. Large areas of land were victims, and coordinating extra deliveries and route
inundated – with devastating effects. adjustments to helping co-workers behind on their
deliveries because of extra responsibilities.
In Poland, Nestlé Waters markets Naleczowianka,
a natural mineral water that originates in Naleczow,
some 150 kilometres southeast of Warsaw. The
floods did not affect the city, but emotions ran high
throughout the country.
Case study USA, Mexico, Philippines and France 57
Capacity building
in water resource management
In addition to protecting its own water provides under-served rural communities
resources, Nestlé Waters also assists with access to skills, knowledge and
with a whole series of capacity resources to improve their living
building projects in water resource conditions – including water resources.
management. The EcoLink project in
South Africa is a good example. In areas where as many as 80% of
the population have no access to
In 1985 Nestlé South Africa helped piped water, people have to make use
establish EcoLink, an organisation that of existing local water sources.
The EcoLink team, with Nestlé’s
support, helps villagers to identify
water sources from underground systems on municipal buildings
springs. The springs are then capped that feed into large storage tanks.
with a simple cement mixture of stone Via this simple EcoLink initiative,
and sand and, with a tap at the base, whole villages can be served with
the villagers have a stock of clean, clean water.
drinkable water.
In addition, Ecolink helps villagers
Another important source is rainwater. to develop vegetable gardens.
This can be collected through gutter
Case study France, USA, Spain 59
Nestlé Research
and Development
Nestlé Research and Development (R&D) plays a In just a few years, through its own work, as well as
vital role in strengthening the Company’s brands and the research it sponsors and the dialogue it fosters,
supporting future growth and competitiveness the Nestlé Water Institute has set world standards in
through innovation and renovation. water sciences. Since 1995, its documentation centre
has been developing a valuable data base on water
Specifically for R&D in its bottled water business, and health, minerals and trace elements, the nutri-
Nestlé benefits from the Nestlé Water Institute and tional effects of drinking water, water’s physical and
the Product Technology Centre, Water. chemical properties, organoleptic and microbiological
analyses, and packaging and the environment.
The Nestlé Water Institute was created in Vittel,
France, in 1995. Its purpose is to further scientific The Product Technology Centre, Water was
progress related to water consumed by humans, set up at the beginning of 2003 in Vittel, France, to
and to gather and promote the widest possible bring together experts from a number of different
distribution of relevant scientific, medical and disciplines: process engineering, water based bever-
technical information. ages formulation, packaging development including
material recycling, water resources and aquifer
Studies are carried out in collaboration with protection, water process as well as chemical and
laboratories, institutes and universities all over the microbiological analyses.
world. Research focuses on three main areas,
water and life, water and nutrition, and water and The Product Technology Centre, Water works closely
the environment. with the Nestlé Research Centre located in Lausanne,
Switzerland, where world leading research on
Two examples give an idea of the Institute’s activities. nutrition science is conducted. It also interacts with
It developed the HydraOpt software used by athletes the network of Product Technology Centres that
to optimise their hydration balance. And a study into are responsible for the innovation and renovation
the health impact of calcium and magnesium present of Nestlé products worldwide.
in water led to recommendations for the protection
of dental health, and demonstrated the positive effect
of mineral water consumption on bone, renal and
cognitive functions.
Nestlé and Water Sustainability, Protection, Stewardship 62
63
The future
The 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development Responsible water use extends beyond Nestlé and
(WSSD), Johannesburg, placed clear and increasing also involves its many partners. As part of its efforts
importance on all aspects of water. The Plan of to build long-term business relationships, the
Implementation that was developed set a 2015 target Company encourages its partners to use water in a
to decrease by half the number of people without sustainable manner.
access to safe drinking water or basic sanitation.
Millions of consumers are at the end of Nestlé’s supply
To reach this goal, the Plan envisages the develop- chain. Water use is integral to their daily lives.
ment of integrated water resources management and Nestlé will continue to provide them with information
water efficiency measures by 2005. It recommends on good water practices and the role of water in
the use of a wide range of policy instruments, both health and wellbeing.
voluntary and regulatory. Prerequisites include know-
ledge sharing, capacity building, technology transfer, Water is a top priority for Nestlé – and always will be.
new technology developments and education.