Optimising global water use through myriad local initiatives
At Givaudan, water is vital to our production processes and to our value chain. In operations, we mainly use water for hygiene, cooling, and processing, and some factories are located in water-stressed areas.
Saving water is at the heart of our efforts, and we leverage best practices, including those that are small but powerful, to drive meaningful impact. A series of initiatives at multiple sites around the world are helping us cut water consumption, supporting our long-standing commitment to water stewardship.
Driving water efficiency in our site in Spain
For the past three years, our site in Sant Celoni, Spain, has implemented a series of projects to reduce water consumption. This continuous effort resulted in a reduction of 50,000 m3 of water in 2024 (vs 2021). One project aims to reuse the water coming from the reverse osmosis (filtration system) that produces purified water for the site.
The local team analysed the water that exits from this process as a purified stream and found that it could safely be recirculated and reused in their industrial water systems, allowing them to save 6,500 m3 of water per year. Another project targeted the site’s biggest consumer of water, a distillation process involving liquid ring water pumps that creates the vacuum conditions. The site’s team has now programmed an automated system that allows for water recirculation, saving 5,000 m3 of water per year.
Reducing water consumption in our Egypt site
In 2024, our Egypt Taste & Wellbeing site upgraded to a low-water foaming technology for cleaning production areas, replacing traditional washing systems. This efficient solution is set to reduce water use by 9% while cutting down on chemical detergent consumption. With projected savings of 400 m³ of water each year, this initiative is a key step in our efforts to optimise resources and reduce our environmental footprint.
Optimising water consumption at a UK site
Another groundbreaking initiative showcases how our team’s engagement and collaborative efforts can lead to significant improvements on water-saving measures.
Our UK Burton upon Trent site team achieved a remarkable 32% reduction in water consumption over three years, being the first recipient to earn a ‘Water efficient business award’ from its site water supplier for their early efforts. The first phase of improvements focused on domestic water use and the team installed dual flush systems, push-operated taps, and controlled-flush urinals. These changes led to a 10% reduction in water consumption in 2022.
This success laid the groundwork for further improvements, including the installation of a data logger on the site’s water metre to electronically monitor usage and set threshold limits. They also repaired leaking toilet cisterns, replacing taps to reduce cleaning water, and upgraded all site toilets with dual flush systems. By the end of 2023, these efforts resulted in a 32% drop in non-production water use, surpassing expectations. The water saved was enough to operate the site for 120 days without additional input.
Building on their success, the team has since proposed three new projects targeting recycling cooling water, recovering wastewater from water generation, and implementing a rainwater harvesting system for toilet use. These little steps, taken together, will make big contributions to reducing water consumption at the site.
A culture of water conservation
Responsible use of water is essential to Givaudan’s commitments. We continually pursue sustainable water management in the key water basins where we source and operate, particularly in areas considered to be at high risk.