METRO initiative against global water scarcity
22 March 2018“METRO Water Initiative” – On the United Nations World Water Day, METRO draws attention to global water scarcity
Within the framework of the United Nations World Water Day celebrating on 22 March, METRO is sensitising the public to the issue of global water scarcity together with eleven suppliers. For the second time the "METRO Water Initiative" is raising the awareness of employees and customers for a responsible handling of water through activities and information. With its international presence, METRO offers a broad platform to also support social projects of a large number of its suppliers.
METRO Cash & Carry is active in 25 countries, some of which suffer from acute water scarcity. 18 METRO countries participate with various activities around the topic of water on the World Water Day. Suppliers offer information on their product packaging and on displays about how water can be efficiently saved in daily life, if used properly and invest in social projects, for example.
METRO's goal for 2018 is to consume 100 million litres of water less than in 2017. In this context, METRO not only improves the water management at its stores and warehouses, but also wants to sensitise its suppliers and customers and support them in consuming less water. For example, METRO Cash & Carry Poland succeeded in saving more than 2 million litres of water yearly with the installation of flow regulators at the water intakes. The premium food supplier RUNGIS express, which belongs to METRO, managed to save 1 million litres of water per year with its new crate washing machine in Meckenheim.
With last year's METRO Water Initiative, we already reached millions of customers and our employees. Now we want to again draw attention to the issue of global water scarcity together with our suppliers. We have set ourselves clear goals for a responsible water management and thereby make an important contribution to the sustainable handling of water.
Heiko Hutmacher, CHRO & responsible for Sustainability in the Management Board METRO AG
To this effect, the wholesale expert METRO Cash & Carry cooperates with the eleven global suppliers Barilla, Coca-Cola, Colgate, Danone Waters, Diageo, Henkel, L'Oreal, Mars Food, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble (P&G) and Unilever Retail. Many of these suppliers offer individual projects which consumers can support through the purchase of their products. For example,
- With its "Children's Safe Drinking Water-Initiative", P&G has already provided more than 13 billion litres of clean water in meanwhile 85 countries since the start of the program in 2004 and donates one day of clean drinking water for each of its products sold at a METRO Cash & Carry store.
- Diageo in turn donates €1 per bottle sold at METRO Cash & Carry to WaterAid, an international non-profit organisation that engages worldwide for providing people with clean water and the corresponding sanitary facilities as a first measure to fight poverty.
"With the METRO Water Initiative, we are giving our customers the opportunity to support aid campaigns of our industrial partners and improve access to clean drinking water for people around the world", says Hutmacher. METRO considers itself as an active member of the global community and strives to contribute to the creation of additional value and t hereby the attainment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. "Drinking water and sanitation for everyone by 2030" is the Sustainable Development Goal Number six of the United Nations.
