11.4.9 Human right to water and companies: what to expect?

The research also focused on the implementation of MDG 7 on safe drinking water and basic sanitation. Ten companies indicated that they were taking action in this regard. For instance, via humanitarian projects or partnerships with international organisations or NGOs.

Friesland Foods for example supports the development of local water supplies in the areas where it has production locations and markets its products. Since water is essential for both the consumption of dried dairy products and for the production of dairy products, it is imperative that good quality drinking water is available where Friesland Foods operates. In Africa for example, the company contributes to programmes for clean drinking water by digging wells and installing water pumps. More than 20 wells have been dug, providing nearly four million people with access to clean drinking water (Friesland Foods, 2006).

Ahold indicated discussing similar projects, including water systems in Ghana (Ahold, 2007). Heineken's 2007 strategy on water also included a programme for the construction of waste-water treatment plants at its breweries in Africa where no municipal facilities for cleaning waste water exist (Heineken, 2007).

To finish on a positive note, companies can also play a direct role in the right to clean water. This is actually the case for the bottled water company Earth Water International (not included in the quick scan). The company was created by a young university graduate student with a progressive vision: if people are going to consume bottled water, why not use these proceeds to help provide clean drinking water for those who do not have access to it. The company donates all of its net profits from the sale of Earth Water to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and these profits will fund projects related to "acquisition, transport, storage, and distribution of fresh clean water, focusing on both emergency provision and developing sustainable water sources for people living in poverty." Furthermore, the company is concerned with the environmental impacts of bottled water; the water and packaging are always sourced locally, i.e. the bottles are never shipped overseas. Moreover, the bottles manufactured in Canada are from biodegradable corn instead of plastic (Earth Water International, 2008).