Cargill Holdings – Protecting our planet (Water Resources)
Of the fresh water people use every year, about 70 percent goes to produce the food we eat. At Cargill, we’re taking steps to manage our water resources efficiently by conserving water, improving water quality and ensuring access to clean water in the communities where we operate.
Our actions include:
- Conserving water – We are working across our supply chains and within our own operations to conserve and improve water quality. We minimize minimizing water use, particularly in areas of stress and scarcity, and improving water quality in areas impacted by agriculture. We conduct local assessments and map our plants and supply chains to determine our long-term risk and take appropriate action. We work to improve freshwater efficiency in our facilities around the world. Our progress includes improving efficiency in our operations by 12 percent between 2005 and 2015. In 2015, we set a new target to improve by another 5 percent by 2020.
- Improving water quality through sustainable agriculture – We are improving water quality in areas impacted by agriculture. We work with farmers to optimize use of fertilizer and other inputs to maximize yields, reduce runoff and protect watersheds.
- Promoting access to clean water – We promote access to clean water in communities where we live and work. In areas where we have operations in remote or sensitive locations, we install wastewater treatment technology to protect local water sources.
