HEINEKEN Vietnam supports clean water project in Quang Nam

The ground-breaking ceremony of HEINEKEN Vietnam's water project in Quang Nam

This is the 25^th water project under the company’s initiative “One minute less for one million smiles” that aims to raise public awareness about protecting water resources, as well as provide access to clean water to communities in need.

The company, in collaboration with the People’s Committee of Hiep Hoa commune in Quang Nam province’s Hiep Duc district, yesterday held the official ground-breaking ceremony for the water station in Tra Linh Tay village in Hiep Hoa commune.

Tra Linh Tay village is a remote area in the mountain where most residents live in poverty. This area often faces water shortages due to heavy droughts. Local people have to travel very far to carry water back to their village.

The project provides a water station and a 1,000 metre distribution pipeline system to help local residents easily access safe and reliable water sources for their daily use.

“This is a critical project because the community in Hiep Hoa commune urgently needs access to a safe and reliable water source,” said Luong Phuoc Nghia, chairman of the People’s Committee of Hiep Hoa commune.

“It will improve the community public infrastructure and living conditions for the local people in the long term. We highly appreciate HEINEKEN Vietnam for sponsoring this project and we look forward to its completion soon,” he added.

As part of HEINEKEN Vietnam’s “One minute less for one million smiles” programme that first started in 2012, the project provides access to clean water to the communities in need as well as aims to raise public awareness on conserving water resources.

In the near future, HEINEKEN Vietnam will also train and coach farmers and local residents in remote and mountainous areas on the proper use and disposal of fertilisers and waste treatment in their daily agricultural production.

“Water is an essential resource and we believe everyone should have reliable access to clean and safe water,” said Matt Wilson, Corporate Affairs director of HEINEKEN Vietnam.

“Growing with Communities and Protecting Water Resources are two of six focus areas in which HEINEKEN Vietnam wants to create a big difference for the local community. This is the fifth clean water station that we have sponsored in Quang Nam province and we are glad to have received strong support from Quang Nam People’s Committee. We also have worked closely with the local authorities to implement other charity activities such as our annual Warm Spring programme.”

For many years, HEINEKEN Vietnam – recognised as the most sustainable manufacturing company in Vietnam during the past two consecutive years of 2017 and 2018 – has been an industry pioneer in embedding sustainability in its business strategy. Its sustainability agenda, “Brewing a Better Vietnam”, aims to create sustainable values for people, the planet, and prosperity.

In addition to providing support to communities and hosting water resource protection activities, HEINEKEN Vietnam also focuses on applying the circular economy model to its operations in which they reuse or recycle almost 99 per cent of its waste or by-products.

Additionally, the company pioneered an ongoing Tiger cap programme in 2018 that recycles bottle caps into raw materials to build new bridges for the communities. This programme encourages recycling and reducing waste as well as provides a huge benefit for the community.

The following are some images of the clean water project's ground-breaking ceremony in Quang Nam province: