Coca-Cola FEMSA: Celebrating World Water Day 2021

We exceeded our 2020 goal of using 1.5 liters of water per liter of beverage produced.

As a beverage bottler, water is the main ingredient in the products our consumers enjoy. We are aware of this and, in turn, understand the role that this vital shared resource plays in economic and social prosperity. Efficient water management is therefore important for business, for the well-being of communities, and life on the planet.

According to the World Water Council, 77 million people in Latin America lack access to a safe water source, and 100 million lack access to basic sanitation services. Against this backdrop, we are carrying out projects for the efficient use of this resource.

Water care strategy

Water, as the main input for our products, has a three-pillar strategy for its use:

1. Monitor the efficiency of water use in our plants

We devised the “Top 20 Water Saving Initiatives” program. These initiatives encourage efficient consumption in all our plants. From the detection and elimination of leaks to the optimal use of the resource in our bottling plants to the implementation of recovery systems.

 All of our manufacturing plants are ISO 14001 certified.

100% of the water we discharge from our operations is sent to wastewater treatment plants, which guarantee sufficient quality to sustain aquatic life.

 We managed to use 1.49 liters of water for every liter of beverage produced, thus meeting our 2020 target and becoming an industry benchmark with a 24% improvement in our efficiency from 2010 to 2020.

2. Providing access to water and sanitation in our communities.

We activate initiatives that benefit the quality of life of communities through access to ‘safe water’ and hygiene education.

3. Promote water replenishment and water funds.

Water funds are collaborative initiatives that seek to guarantee the sufficiency of the resource. Through strategic alliances, we collaborate to improve sanitation conditions by cleaning water bodies, such as beaches, wetlands, and mangroves. Besides, we contribute various resources to replenish them through reforestation and watershed management plans.

With the Latin American Alliance of Water Funds – made up of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), FEMSA Foundation, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) – we have established 27 water funds.

This alliance has directly benefited 215,512 people with the creation of jobs and training in the areas near water basins.

Today we can say that we return to the environment the same amount we use in Argentina, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, and Mexico.

At Coca-Cola FEMSA, we ensure that sustainability is fully integrated into our daily decisions and operations. Strategically, proactively, and responsibly, we will continue to take firm steps toward optimal water management for the well-being of Our People, Our Community, and, without a doubt, Our Planet.