Heineken Malaysia had shown exemplary work in its effort to be a sustainable organisation when the company committed to balance its water used in its products 100 percent by 2030.
However the company has managed to reach this goal ahead of target by 10years, the brewers Every Drop water strategy was conceived to be more conscious on the water usage especially the 90 percent of its products require good quality h2o. Every Drop strategy was also aimed at protecting the health of watersheds holistically, using a triangular approach that integrates Water Stewardship to fully balance the water used in its products, Water Efficiency to reduce water usage in production, and Water Circularity to ensure 100% of wastewater is treated whilst maximising opportunities to reuse and recycle water.
Speaking at the launch of the Company’s Water Balancing Report 2020, Roland Bala, Managing Director Malaysia, said, “Water is central to Heineken and indeed a precious resource that is essential to all life. Our efforts in protecting our water resources over the years have enabled us to fully balance water used to brew our beers and ciders. We have an ambitious target to balance 1.5 litres for every 1 litre of water used in making our products.
Heineken achieved the milestone through many initiatives including the river and peatland conservation, rainwater harvesting, reforestation, and community initiatives, the company managed to achieve 267% versus its water balancing target. Renuka Indrarajah, Corporate Affairs and Legal Director said, “Water is not an infinite resource. Water scarcity, wastage and pollution are real issues that confront the world and as a responsible brewer, we want to do our part to protect our watersheds.
Some of the projects included the rehabilitation of Sungai Way river improvement of the river’s water quality from Class IV – V and the construction of a 305-metre clay dyke at the Raja Musa Forest Reserve that stores up to 136.1 million litres of water annually.
