Grupo Bimbo celebrates World Water Day With concrete actions to decrease its Water Footprint
Within the framework of World Water Day, which is celebrated on March 22 each year, Grupo Bimbo shares some of the actions it has implemented to achieve optimal results in reducing its water consumption across three focus categories: water consumption and reuse, quality of wastewater discharge, and risk analysis due to water scarcity and quality.
Standing out among the main actions executed are:
• The switch to more efficient cooling systems, the installation of compressors for cooling, the elimination of cooling towers, and the installation of washing machines with better technology for cleaning production equipment. In addition, various workplaces, such as plants and sales centers, have rainwater collection and reuse devices, as well as points for wastewater treatment.
• To guarantee the correct use of water in production processes, Grupo Bimbo has implemented measures for the use of treated water in irrigation activities and vehicle washing, as well as dry and semi-wet cleaning for production lines and the practice of automatic washing.
• Thanks to these good practices for saving water, in 2017 Grupo Bimbo increased wastewater treatment from factories by 19% compared to 2016. Out of its total water consumption, 11% was reused water, which is equivalent to the contents of more than 215 Olympic swimming pools. In addition, it decreased its total groundwater consumption by 5% in plant manufacturing processes, compared to the previous year. In the last three years, the company achieved an accumulated increase of 25% reuse, which is equivalent to 106,557 m3 of water, or 43 Olympic pools and 10,656 water pipes.
• In Mexico, Grupo Bimbo has 37 water treatment plants, 9 plants with the capacity to collect, store, and use rainwater in their operations, 90 washing arches in vehicle workshops, and over 243 water recyclers in vehicle agencies and workshops.
• In Central and South America, Grupo Bimbo has 67 treatment plants that provide an adequate level of quality for the reuse of water, and for returning the water to nature in the best condition. This is the same as our treatment systems in some of our operations in the United States and Spain, which are innovating in new technologies to further reduce our water footprint.
• The strategic plan for reducing our water footprint towards 2020 considers achieving integration in each area of the value chain to achieve our environmental goals, including a further 30% reduction in water consumption.
In line with the United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goal to guarantee the availability, sustainable management, and sanitation of water for everyone, Grupo Bimbo is working to build a world in a sustainable way by investing in technology and innovation to reduce its environmental footprint and water consumption, complementing its responsible use, reuse, and treatment alternatives that allow water to return to nature in the best condition, and to preserve the life of the planet’s flora and fauna.
