ASIA – Carlsberg Group has announced a partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to promote water sustainability in Asia.
The collaboration focuses on conserving water levels, restoring wetland ecosystems, and minimizing waste in regions facing critical water challenges.
The initiative, part of Carlsberg’s broader water stewardship efforts, will target high-risk areas in China and Laos.
WWF’s program aims to restore wetlands and enhance water availability in key basins across Asia.
Carlsberg has identified four key locations, including China’s Yangtze River basin and Laos’ Mekong River region, where its operations face significant water risks such as declining water quality and ecosystem deterioration.
“Water is an essential part of our products, and it is vital for us as a company to engage in a broader basin context as part of our water stewardship journey,” said Simon Boas Hoffmeyer, Head of Sustainability & ESG at Carlsberg.
“The challenges of replenishing local water resources are ever more eminent, with climate changes taking effect.”
The partnership’s projects in China will focus on creating new wetlands to filter nutrients from wastewater and purify aquaculture effluent, which will help improve local biodiversity and protect habitats for endangered species along the Yangtze River.
In Laos, efforts will concentrate on improving water management and enhancing aquatic ecosystems near the Mekong River.
Through this partnership, Carlsberg aims to replenish 100 percent of the water used at its four targeted breweries, contributing to its goal of achieving 100 percent water replenishment at breweries located in high-risk water areas by 2030.
This initiative is part of Carlsberg’s broader Together Towards ZERO and Beyond program, which sets ambitious sustainability targets across various environmental and social dimensions.
“We are committed to addressing the challenges of safeguarding freshwater resources internationally,” said Hoffmeyer. “At Carlsberg Group, we are committed to achieving zero water waste as part of our Together Towards ZERO and Beyond program.”
In addition to its sustainability efforts, Carlsberg recently secured a deal to become the official bottler for PepsiCo in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan starting in January 2026.
The agreement includes producing, selling, and distributing PepsiCo’s non-alcoholic beverages in these markets.
Carlsberg plans to invest over €100 million (US$110.16M) to build a new soft drink production facility in Kazakhstan, further expanding its footprint in Central Asia.
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