Walkers - Case study: Reducing water use
“The business decisions we take need to address the challenges of climate
change, resource depletion and water shortages. Reducing the water we use
to make our products, in our factories and in our supply chain, is important.
Our work with Envirowise has helped us reduce Walkers' water use in the
UK substantially, but our journey does not stop there.
This is an international
challenge, and we are already taking part in a number of pilot schemes
to understand how to 'get more crop for each drop'. We are investing
in improving agricultural methods and working to meet the aims of the
Federation
House Commitment to improve sustainability in our sector.”
Walter Todd VP - Operations, PepsiCo UK & Ireland
Walkers water facts
Between 2001 and 2007, Walkers achieved a 42%
reduction in water use per kg of production.
- 700 million litres of water have been saved at
PepsiCo's Walkers plant in Leicester.
- Commitment: PepsiCo plans to achieve zero water
intake at its Walkers Crisps manufacturing sites
within ten years.
How we improved water efficiency
Walkers achieved a 42% reduction in water use through:
- gathering robust data on usage and establishing
metering in key lines;
- engineering solutions including flow restrictors and
line mapping, and feedback loops to reduce usage
and create sources for recycled water;
- training for employees, including the establishment
of water champions and tracking water usage
between lines and shifts.
More broadly PepsiCo is focusing on driving water
use reductions in its supply chain through:
- continuing to develop practical indicators and
guidelines for minimising agricultural use of water
and for reducing the impact of agricultural impacts
on water quality;
- investing in research to identify the most
environmentally sensitive ways of irrigating its
agricultural raw materials.
Our work with the Federation House Commitment
Walkers has achieved a high standard of water
reduction working closely with Envirowise, through the
Federation House Commitment, supporting its in-house
technical specialists to deliver robust and innovative
engineering solutions that will reduce water use by a
further 45% within three years.
More information
This case study is taken from the The Federation House Commitment - Progress
Report: 2009 published in July 2009.