Nestle inaugurates new clean drinking water facility

Nestlé SA General Manager and Nestlé Waters Global CEO, Marco Settembri, is currently visiting Pakistan. He met community elders from Bhatti Dhilwan village after inaugurating a clean drinking water facility in the community located next to the Nestlé Sheikhupura factory. At least 5,000 people belonging to neighbouring areas will have access to clean drinking water on a daily basis from the facility.
Settembri said, "It is imperative that we close the gap between supply and demand of safe fresh water if we are to thrive as businesses, communities or countries. We have pledged globally to water stewardship in an effort to adopt sustainable water practices, especially in areas where we operate, source our goods and where our suppliers and consumers live. Local communities play a very important role in achieving this objective."
Water is essential for human survival and cannot be replaced. Responsible water stewardship is critical for all of us. Nestlé is committed to developing its business in a way that facilitates effective water stewardship. The company has been continuously improving water efficiency in its operations and through innovative programs with suppliers, especially farmers.
"To eliminate the risk of water shortage, we will need long term, meaningful and collective action. Nestlé Pakistan, between 2003 and 2013 alone, improved water efficiency in its operations by 22%. The company also ensures treatment of wastewater before releasing it back into the ecosystem. But we realise that as a responsible water steward we need to take on board and educate other stakeholders," said Bruno Olierhoek, the Managing Director of Nestlé Pakistan.
On the occasion, an agreement was also signed between Nestlé Pakistan and WWF-Pakistan under which the latter would help the company implement sustainability practices and Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) standard at its Islamabad factory. The two partners have already put the AWS standard in place at the company's Sheikhupura Factory. AWS is a standard of sustainable water usage that promotes better understanding through stakeholder engagement, in order to drive best water management practices within and beyond industrial operations.
Also present on the occasion were Jacques Bodevin, Senior Vice President, Finance & Control and MIS; Lazaro Rivademar, Senior Vice President, Asia, Oceania and Africa; Zaid Walid Albitar Regional Manager Middle East and Khurram Zia, Country Business Manager, Nestlé Waters Pakistan.-PR