ANHEUSER-BUSCH INBEV
26 ing its breweries , AB InBev is working to create long-standing change in water consumption across its supply chain . “ A lot of manufacturers look at their water consumption in their manufacturing processes and attempt to drive it down . We ’ ve got ours down to a low level already , but that ’ s kind of the wrong focus ,” Frost says , adding that 37 of AB InBev ’ s breweries around the world are located in high water stress areas and , with the increasing impact of climate change , it is expected that this will rise to 50 by 2030 .
“ Saving a few gallons of water in our breweries isn ’ t going to change the world ,” he says . “ We have to get stuck into managing the watersheds in those areas in a literal sense .” In different countries , water rights vary not only in entitlement but delivery , limiting the efficiency with which farmers can make use of their water .
In the Bajío region of Mexico , farmers have the right to a certain volume of water for irrigation . When the opportunity to have it arises , they must take all of it at once or risk having
“ I think the organisation as a whole is learning more and more that sustainability really is our business now ”
— Matthew Frost , Global VP Raw Materials Procurement and Sustainability
MAY 2019