water saver spotlight: kraft
This is World Water Week in Stockholm, where the goal is to raise awareness around access to water as development and climate stress an already limited resource. As water scarcity continues to gain attention, so should the companies actively working to reduce their water footprint.
Kraft Foods is a recent example of a company making a big splash in the news for using less water. They have managed to reduce their water use by three billion gallons in the past three years, and have exceeded their water reduction goal two years early. As Steve Yucknut, vice president of sustainability, says:
We’re changing behavior and getting results. Around the world, thousands of our employees are working on projects that help us reduce our environmental impact. We focus on manufacturing, since that’s where we use the most water for internal operations. And we pay particular attention to water-scarce areas, where the need is greatest.
Here is a company who appears to really understand the risks posed by water scarcity, and has taken steps to mitigate those risks. As we look at some of the programs Kraft has implemented, what is impressive is how effective small changes like fixing leaks, reusing water, rethinking cleaning processes, and developing closed loop systems have been in generating major reductions in water use. These changes have been so effective Kraft shrank its water use 21 percent since 2005.
Not only are they saving water, but improving inefficient machinery, infrastructure, and processes lead directly to cost savings. For example, in their Atlanta, Georgia bakery, employees reduced the amount of water used for cleaning specific equipment and also eliminated unnecessary re-cleaning of equipment. Thus increasing the number of line production hours.
We believe every company can and should review their water, source material, and energy needs. By ensuring that we conserve, even abundant resources, we create a more competitive business and a better planet. Is your business creating a sustainability program? We’d love to share ideas, technologies, and programs from organizations large and small.
For more about Kraft Food’s sustainability program, which includes details on how they’re making progress on reducing CO2, solid waste, and energy use, see their Better World website.
