Our Spirit of Progress plan has a goal of replenishing more water than our operations use in water-stressed areas, and our water replenishment programs continue to perform well. We are on track to meet our 2026 goal and cumulatively (FY2016-FY2024) have replenished 70% of our FY26 estimate.
During the previous financial year ending June 30, 2024, the Company implemented projects with a volumetric replenishment capacity of 1,232,000 m³ of water per year.
We are incredibly proud that since 2021, we have delivered over 120 community water projects in 12 markets with 26 partners, refilling more than 36 billion litres of water, enough to fill almost 1,500 Olympic swimming pools.
What advice would you give to other leaders looking to incorporate water into their sustainability strategies?
My advice is to start now and act now. It is critical to protect this precious resource and build a resilient and sustainable future for all. Reach out to allies, learn from others and be prepared to compromise. Advocacy, collaboration and collective action are essential to the ambition of any water strategy.
What does the future hold for water-related sustainability strategies at Diageo?
We've been addressing our water usage across Diageo for over 20 years. We set new ambitions in 2020, and now, four years on, we've developed a new water strategy to not only advance our water commitments, but to move us forward too.
The company plans to maintain its unwavering focus on water through improving water efficiency at its sites, investing in water replenishment and collective actions in its own operations, continuing to invest in water and sanitation for women's empowerment, and creating positive impact in communities and sites around the world.
We hope that our actions will help enable our sites, supply chains and communities to build resilience in a rapidly changing and unpredictable climate.
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