At P&G we want to deliver irresistibly superior products that delight consumers around the world while building a water positive future that can sustain people, nature, and P&G operations now and for generations to come.
To reduce water use in our operations, we are focusing efforts on facilities exposed to high water risks. We partnered with multiple organizations to develop a three-tier risk assessment process. In 2020, we assessed more than 130 facilities and identified 33 located in areas exposed to high water risk – which we designate as “Tier 3” sites. We periodically update our assessments to ensure water risk levels reflect current water risk data.
We are committed to playing our part in protecting the water resources we share with our neighbors. All P&G sites located in high water-stressed areas are required to understand their local water sheds, create action plans, and address the key challenges impacting our operations and the local communities where we operate.
Some examples of site-specific work that has helped us drive progress on our water effort
This manufacturing plant, located in an area which has been experiencing water stress, developed innovative solutions to reduce freshwater use. The facility installed equipment to treat and reuse manufacturing process water effluent. Last year, the plant recycled more than 34 million liters of water, the equivalent annual water use of 860 Brazilian households. The project also inspired plant employees to implement other water sustainability measures.
Our Mexico Hair Care plant is in an area which has been experiencing water stress. The employees are committed to reducing their use of fresh water and are leveraging innovative data analytics to drive actionable insights from water meters installed throughout the site. The analysis of this data provides the plant with a daily understanding of water consumption so they can act immediately to eliminate losses. The plant can also benchmark their water efficiency performance with other sites. In the first month of operation, the site identified five projects that can improve their production adjusted water efficiency by 10%.
Our Feminine Care plant in Maine reduced its production adjusted water use by 18% in one year. The site conserved more than 12 million liters of water by fixing leaks and improving cooling tower operating systems. This water savings is equivalent to the annual water use of 150 Maine households. The plant continues to work on other ideas to reduce and reuse water.
Global water consumption has increased twice as fast as population growth. And although agriculture and industry withdraw the majority of the world’s freshwater, more people are using more water in their homes than ever before. Domestic water demand grew 600% since 1960. This means that in-home water usage is increasing at the fastest rate, when compared to other sectors including agriculture and industry.
The overwhelming majority of our corporate water footprint is associated with the consumer use of our products in their homes. We are working to address this key impact area through:
In 2019, we achieved our 2020 goal to provide one billion people with access to water-efficient products. Cascade, Tide, Downy, Swiffer, Pantene, H&S, Herbal Essences and others brought their innovative formulas to consumers all over the world to enable people to reduce in-home water use during everyday household activities. The end of the decade doesn’t mean the end of this important work, and our brands continue to look for opportunities to reduce in-home water use and communicate with consumers about ways they can help. A few examples of water efficient products are highlighted here.
For decades, people have used the simple mop and bucket to keep their floors clean. In 2001, Swiffer Sweepers were released, and millions of consumers were introduced to a new, more-convenient way to clean. The Swiffer Wet system offers an all-around better experience. It’s easy to use and uses less water than the typical mop and bucket. Households went from using gallons of water to ounces of solution to clean their floors. Every household that uses Swiffer Wet could save more than 70 gallons of water per year vs. mop and bucket cleaners. About 50 million people in the United States currently have access to Swiffer Wet pads.
In the U.S., Cascade Platinum Action Pacs clean stuck-on food in just one wash, with no prewash needed. This enables P&G to help consumers reduce their water use with every pot, plate or pan they put in the dishwasher. In fact, for each person who skips the prewash, up to 2,600 gallons of water can be saved in a household per year. Cascade is working hard to educate consumers about skipping the prewash when using this unit dose product so that everyone can start saving water while doing their dishes. Over 100 million U.S. consumers currently have access to this water-efficient product.
Consumer habits and practices can significantly impact water use in the home. By helping consumers understand the simple actions they can take to reduce water use in the home, we can help make a big difference. For example, Cascade is addressing the issue of water scarcity through relevant consumer messaging. The “Do It Every Night” ad campaign is working to bust the myth that the dishwasher uses more water than handwashing dishes. By moving consumers towards using their EnergyStar® dishwasher to clean their dishes instead of handwashing dishes, there is great potential to reduce household water usage across millions of American homes.
Today, we know that the average home in the developed world is highly inefficient, using up to 500 liters of water per person each day. Showering, laundry, cooking and washing dishes in the home result in using upwards of 10% of the earth’s water supply. P&G is spearheading the 50L Home Coalition to bring partners together across the entire domestic water value chain, aiming to transform urban water management. The goal of the 50L Home project is to provide technologies and innovations that enable a person to lower their water usage and ultimately live on 50 liters of water usage per day without compromising the performance of the jobs to be done. This effort will not only aim to save water but also energy used in the home. To learn more please go to: https://50lhome.org/
Across the world, and even within countries, there is a diverse mix of landscapes, cultures, economies and climates that make water issues complex and require solutions unique to each river basin. That is why we embarked on a data-based water risk assessment with expert partners at World Resources Institute (WRI), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Environmental Resources Management (ERM) to identify the areas of the world we should focus on for maximum positive impact. Using data from the WRI Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas and other sources, 18 priority basins across seven countries were identified as strategic for P&G based on our understanding of where our facilities and consumers are most exposed to current and future water risks.
Through the projects that P&G is supporting, we are making progress toward our restoration commitment. Our progress toward this first-of-its-kind target is only possible through the help of our partners and the implementing organizations across more than 20 P&G-supported water restoration projects. Our intent is to continue learning more about each basin to determine the best scope and suite of actions to focus on as we pursue this work.
In addition to our ongoing work, P&G and our Brands have advanced other meaningful restoration efforts in areas of high water stress, including Cascade "Change the Course" and the Colorado River Collaboration.
Cascade will support four restoration projects in water-stressed basins in the western US through the Change the Course initiative. The projects will help to restore millions of gallons of freshwater to river systems in this important water-stressed region. Cascade’s commitment will help P&G progress toward our goal to protect water for people and nature in priority basins. It complements their consumer education campaign that works to help reduce water use in the home by moving U.S. consumers from handwashing to using the dishwasher.
The southwestern U.S. faces increasing stress on their water resources and organizations are working on creative, collaborative ways to ensure key water sources are prepared for the future. P&G is excited to be one of eight major corporations to support a landmark collective funding agreement that complements existing funding from the state of Arizona to compensate the Colorado River Indian Tribes (CRIT) for conserving billions of liters of water — directly shoring up declining water levels in Lake Mead, an essential water source for millions of people.
We have set ambitious 2030 targets to make our facilities more water efficient by reducing water use at our manufacturing facilities by 35% per unit of production (compared to a 2010 baseline) and recycling 5 billion liters of water each year.
Over the years, P&G has expanded our water goals from our operations to positively impact a number of water-stressed communities where we operate. We are working with on-the-ground partners who have deep knowledge of the local challenges to amplify and accelerate solutions by supporting long-term projects that improve, manage or protect freshwater resources.
* Water Withdrawn data is the water entering P&G facilities
Note: Baby, Feminine and Family Care includes Baby Care, Feminine Care and Family Care. Beauty Care includes Hair Care and Skin & Personal Care. Fabric and Home Care includes Fabric Care, Home Care and P&G Chemicals. Grooming includes Blades and Razors and Appliances. Health Care includes Personal Health Care and Oral Care. “Other” includes major stand-alone offices/technical centers that support the business units and our largest distribution facilities. Numbers do not include production from contract manufacturing operations.
In 2004, we launched the non-profit program that uses a P&G-invented technology P&G Purifier of Water packets that can transform 10 liters of dirty and potentially deadly water into clean, drinkable water in only 30 minutes.
Working with more than 150 public, private and non-profit partners, we have delivered more than 21 billion liters of clean water that has helped transform communities through improved health, access to education and better economic opportunities. We’ve set a goal of providing 25 billion liters by 2025. To learn more about the CSDW Program, visit our website: https://csdw.org/.