The Coca-Cola Company

Just over 10 years ago, The Rivers Trust and The Coca-Cola Foundation in Great Britain started a partnership centred around water. Now The Cocoa-Cola Company and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) are looking towards the future as they continue their commitment to improve the health of rivers and freshwater environments.

The Rivers Trust movement supports wild healthy rivers, valued by all, and works with communities to build resilient river catchments. Resilient catchments are better equipped to manage water stresses and adapt to climate change. The Coca-Cola Company, and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) are committed to taking a genuine leadership role on the responsible water management, fostering knowledge exchange, and setting ambitious targets to make a real, tangible impact.

Since its inception, the partnership’s work has focused on several distinct and diverse, water management and environmental conservation projects, including some in the communities located near to the company’s manufacturing and bottling facilities in the UK. All have a common purpose of conserving and enhancing freshwater environments and each project aims to improve water quality, reduce flood risk, store carbon, enhance habitat and biodiversity, as well as promote the health and well-being of local communities.

Over the next three years, projects led by Calder Rivers Trust with local landowners will see new nature-based solutions, including ponds and wetlands, created across West Yorkshire to hold water in the landscape. This new partnership aims to improve water quality, flood resilience and biodiversity at multiple sites across Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield, while supporting rural communities.

Over the years projects have been carried out by member Trusts within The Rivers Trust movement, including Thames21, South East Rivers Trust, Northumberland Rivers Trust, as well as partner NGOs such as Kent Wildlife Trust. These water stewardship partnerships have enabled the successful delivery of nature-based solutions through local collaboration that has improved the quality and resilience of their local catchments.

Over the past decade, together we have achieved remarkable milestones, including:

• Establishing 171 wetlands, scrapes and ponds which provide natural habitats for wildlife, improving water quality, and reduce flood risk.
• Implementing innovative solutions, to capture run-off therefore diverting it from urban based rivers.
• Restoring an ancient coastal fen (peat) land, revitalising the unique ecosystem, and preserving a large area of natural heritage.
• Engaging with 437 individual farms to deliver advice and support on water sensitive farming practices.