 | GRI 103-1, GRI 103-2, GRI 303-1, GRI 303-3, GRI 306-1 |
- ThaiBev has created a comprehensive water management system, from the beginning to the end of the value chain, by collaborating with various agencies to organize activities in local communities around factories, and at the national level, to promote water conservation and water replenishment programs.
- ThaiBev has evaluated the water risks for each factory by conducting a Water Sustainability Assessment (WSA). These evaluations are used as guidelines in water management to reduce risks and impacts from the use of water by factories in both the short term and the long term.
- Besides using water from appropriate sources, ThaiBev uses the principle of the 3Rs by reducing water usage, reusing water, and recycling water, to maximize efficient water usage.
- ThaiBev uses ISO14001-2015 standards for environmental management, as well as treating effluent to higher standards than specified by the law, before releasing the effluent into natural water sources.
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Upstream management
The Company, Conservation and Water Stewardship
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Operations management
The Company and Water Risk Management
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Downstream Management
The Company and Effluent Quality Control
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INSIGHT
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Nopwarin Duangdee
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SangSom Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of ThaiBev, joined the Water Footprint project with the Department of Groundwater Resources and the Federation of Thai Industries, receiving certification on August 3, 2018.
What is a water footprint?
The water footprint is a measure of water volumes used in production processes, both directly and indirectly, throughout the supply chain. The water footprint is managed for efficient usage of surface water and groundwater, to reduce production costs and increase competitiveness.
How does participating in the Water Footprint Project and ThaiBev’s Good Water Stewardship benefit society and the environment?
The Water Footprint Project was organized by the Groundwater Resources Department and the Federation of Thai Industries. Water resources used in factories and throughout the supply chain are evaluated, enabling us to identify the processes that use high volumes of water. This data is used to plan appropriately to reduce water usage and create awareness of water usage. It also supports greater sustainability development and improved water stewardship throughout the supply chain, and enables ThaiBev to create greater value and deliver more sustainable returns to society and the environment.
How does ThaiBev promote sustainability and water stewardship?
Water scarcity has become a more critical issue around the world. ThaiBev is aware of the risk and the impact on communities, therefore ThaiBev implemented a water management system that focuses on both availability and quality of natural water. The aim was to minimize the impact of business operations on the environment and communities. For example:
- Reducing the impact on natural water sources for communities to have water of sufficient quality for their consumption.
- All employees are encouraged to use water efficiently and follow water conservation practices. Internal communication campaigns to promote water conservation have been implemented. Using technology to increase the reuse of water according to the principle of the 3Rs, such as the automation of water treatment systems to reduce water usage.
- Cooperating with communities and stakeholders in water usage and water conservation, such as the project of Volunteers to Clean-up the river bank of the Tha Chin River, a cooperative effort between ThaiBev, private companies, local government and communities in order to conserve the Tha Chin River, an important water source.
| STORY | Water Stewardship |
Access to clean water is a future challenge for water users, whether producers such as ThaiBev, or communities surrounding the company’s factories.
Out of concern for communities and stakeholders who may be impacted by the company’s use of water, ThaiBev has implemented the following water stewardship processes:
1. Assessing water risks
ThaiBev has initiated a project to assess water risks called the Water Sustainability Assessment (WSA). The project is a collaboration between the company and experts with experience in assessing water sustainability, starting with the Sura Bangyikhan distillery in Pathum Thani. An in-depth assessment of current and possible future water-related risks covers four aspects: water availability, water quality, regulatory changes and stakeholder perceptions:
- Compiling data covering the volume of water withdrawal from various sources; volumes of water discharge; and volumes of water recharge, to analyze the water balance.
- Conducting an on-site survey, including raw water storage ponds, production systems, raw material and chemical storage tanks, and effluent treatment systems, to analyze data for risks to water quantity and quality.
- Surveying communities, nearby factories, and the environment throughout the study area (a radius of 5km around the distillery).
- Studying relevant hydrometeorological hazards concerning water in the atmosphere and natural disasters such as storms, floods, earthquakes or drought.
- Using satellite images to study the flow of streams, watersheds, slope patterns, and land use within the study area (a radius of 5km around the distillery), including land-use changes over the last 20 years.
Reviewing applicable water, and wastewater-related regulatory requirements, and continually monitoring the amendment of relevant laws and regulations.
- Survey perceptions of the local community, villages,
- institutions, and local government agencies in the area. Study key socio-economic indicators.
Summarize and analyze data to plan for integrated water management that reduces water risks in all dimensions for the distillery, both short term and long term.
Deploy the Global Water Tool developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) to assess Water Stress of each factory, using the location of the factories and the volumes of water used by factories.
Make a ledger of water usage volumes, water sources and water reserves, for the company’s water usage to be sustainable, and not impact stakeholders or communities.
2. Increase water usage efficiency
Use the water footprint to identify volumes of water usage, starting from raw materials and the production process to finished products. The data will be applicable to an efficient and sustainable water management plan.
Improve production processes to use water efficiently, according to the principle of the 3Rs by reducing water usage, reusing water, and recycling water.
Use the Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) system to keep machinery and equipment in good working condition to reduce losses of water and energy in the production process.
3. Control effluent quality
ThaiBev has effluent treatment systems which are designed to be appropriate for each factory. Quality of effluent is controlled and monitored according to the 2017 Ministry of Industry Announcement concerning standards, and to international standards of environmental management (ISO 14001: 2015). Most importantly, the factory must treat its effluent to be of better quality than required by law before it is released back into public water sources.
- ThaiBev Helps Build a Model District for Good Living in Bua Yai, Nan Province.
This project aims to manage headwaters in an area of organic agriculture on 1 rai of land. The target is to replenish the forested watersheds of Nan province. ThaiBev joined with the community to develop a hydraulic ram to pump water to a higher level, and then build check dams for agricultural irrigation to make the community self-reliant. A mountain water supply was also developed. The project stimulated a change from monoculture to integrated agriculture. - ThaiBev Engages in Forest Conservation with the Huay Hong Krai Royal Development Study Center to Improve Quality of Life in Nam Pang, Nan Province.
Check dams were constructed to conserve headwaters and protect ecosystems to conserve the watershed in Nan Province. - Nateechai-Kaeng Krung Relationship – Jointly building check dams in Kaeng Krung National Park, Viphavadee district, Surat Thani Province,
to conserve headwaters and protect ecosystems. Love Water, Love Forest, Conserve the Land – Volunteers Plant Trees to Conserve Water: Staff of Mongkolsamai Co., Ltd. joined a tree-planting activity with the Uttaradit Provincial Administration Organization and Pha Juk district TAO in Being Mai, Ban Dan, Mae Khaman, Lab-lae, Uttaradit Province, to help rehabilitate the forest and watershed. - Volunteers to Clean the Canals Connected to the Tha Chin River and Clean Canals Project:
this project is a cooperative effort between ThaiBev, private companies, local government, and communities, to clean water hyacinth and other weeds from the canals connected to Tha Chin River and Klong Chedi Bucha in Nakhon Pathom, and Klong Saen Suk in Samut Sakhon. These are important water sources for local communities around the factories. The cleanup helps water flows, and prevents damage to property and agricultural land during the rainy season, reduces stagnant water, and beautifies the canals and river. - Improving Water Supplies for the communities of Ban Khok Kong and Ban Dong Yai Pao in Buriram Province.
ThaiBev improved water-pumping systems, power systems, and drinking water systems, and took water samples for quality analysis, as well as giving advice to community water producers, so that water supplies for the community around the factory meets health standards.
10.54 %
of water consumed was reused and recycled in 2018.
Reduce
- Project to reduce water leakages in the factory
- Project to reduce water usage in cleaning beer fermentation tanks
- Project to increase the efficiency of using steam in the distillation proces
Reuse 5.04 %
- Project of reusing condensate return as boiler feed water to reduce usage of water and heat energy
- Project of using backwash water from the water treatment process for utilities to reduce process water usage
Recycle 5.50 %
- Process of recycling treated effluent for gardening in the factory
5% Goal
Reduction of water intensity by the year 2020
Compared to 2014 as a base year
In the beverage business, the water intensity ratio will be reduced by 1.37 hectoliters per hectoliter of finished products, or 16.72 percent compared to 2014 as a base year.
For the food business, the water intensity ratio will be reduced by 0.06 hectoliters per kilogram of finished products, or 22.86 percent compared to 2017.
Unit: hL/hL of finished products
Unit: hL/kg of finished products
ThaiBev is inviting its suppliers to join the Water Footprint Project, particularly sugar mills, with at least one sugar producer to be completed in 2019. There are plans to invite other key suppliers, such as bottle manufacturers, in subsequent years, for integrated water stewardship throughout the supply chain.
