Safeguarding our environment and our business

Protecting water resources

Water is fundamental to human health, but it is becoming an increasingly limited resource. Today, over 2.2 billion people lack access to clean drinking water. As a global food and beverage leader, we’re committed to safeguarding the water resources we use and improving access to clean drinking water for everyone. Find out how we’re taking concrete steps to help mitigate the global water crisis and foster more sustainable and resilient food systems.

Our 4R strategy

As outlined in our sustainability roadmap, the Danone Impact Journey, we’re committed to implementing our 4R strategy to Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and/or Reclaim the water in 100% of our production sites by 2030. By reducing the water we use and cleaning wastewater with water treatment equipment, we plan to cut our water losses by half compared to 2015 levels for our sites at physical water risk.^*

* Following World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) Water Risk Assessment / Water Risk Filter methodology

Our initiatives in action

In 2023, 95% of Danone production sites had an active 4R plan to reduce our overall water footprint.

²⁷⁷million litres

of water reclaimed at our Rotselaar production site in Belgium in 2023

²⁰million

We aim to provide safe drinking water to 20 million people by 2025

⁵³%

of the water intake from our high-risk watershed sites were covered by a preservation plan

2023 value, 2030 target is 100%

Managing watersheds

Preserving ecosystems and building community resilience

Approximately 60 of our watersheds are located in areas facing significant water stress, where demand often exceeds availability. Our hydrogeologists and environmental experts implement programs to foster the natural renewal of these water resources by strengthening the surrounding ecosystems and the resilience of local water governance.

Our initiatives include nature-based solutions like agroforestry and wetland restoration. Agroforesty combines forestry, agriculture, and pastoralism. This approach reduces soil erosion, is in favor of water infiltration, and improves water quality. It also supports biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers.

Supporting sustainable agriculture

Optimizing water use in agriculture

At Danone, we’re working with our 64,000 farmers to support them in their transition towards regenerative agriculture - a more sustainable way of farming that protects water resources. These methods include implementing more eco-friendly irrigation techniques and using rainwater. All our suppliers are required to follow our Sustainable Sourcing Policy to ensure water is used efficiently and no toxic wastewater is released to the environment.

Sustainable Sourcing Policy (June 2024)

Filename: sustainable-sourcing-policy-june-2024.pdf
Size: 919 KB
Format: application/pdf

More from Nature

Driving the transition to a circular and low carbon packaging system

Driving a circular and low carbon packaging system is a top priority to avoid waste and pollution. At Danone, we are committed to offering our nutritious food and drinks in packaging designed to be safely reused, recycled, or composted.

Discover Redesigning our packaging

Driving climate action

Learn about our journey to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower our carbon footprint and reach net zero emissions by 2050.

Discover Reducing greenhouse gas emissions