Monterrey unites to protect its water

Clean, fresh water isn’t just essential to our business. It is vital for the communities in which we operate, particularly in regions that face irregular water supply as a result of drought or flooding. In September 2013, HEINEKEN in Mexico joined a consortium with other companies, universities, civil society organisations and government institutions to establish the Monterrey Metropolitan Water Fund (FAMM).

Monterrey is one of the most important industrial capitals in Mexico and Latin America. Since its foundation, the city and its metropolitan area have suffered the effects of flooding and extreme droughts with devastating consequences for people and their property. The growth that Monterrey has experienced in recent years has put pressure on the watershed, creating negative impacts on the quantity and quality of water in the area.

Monterrey, Mexico

The Monterrey Metropolitan Water Fund will focus on the preservation of the watershed of the San Juan River, which supplies more than 4 million people in and around Monterrey. There are four key objectives: helping to mitigate flooding, improving water infiltration, raising awareness about water, and working alongside government to attract resources which favour the watershed.

Healthy watersheds naturally regulate water flow: releasing water in times of drought, holding and slowing down its flow in times of flood and filtering out nutrients that are harmful to downstream users. Conservation actions will help reduce the disastrous consequences of extreme natural events, such as hurricanes and storms, and generate greater awareness amongst the community for a stronger commitment to the conservation of water and nature.

HEINEKEN’s involvement in the Fund takes two forms. Our local brewery Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma in Monterrey is a direct participant in FAMM as part of our water-balancing commitment. Additionally, the FEMSA Foundation (created by FEMSA whose brewing activities were acquired by HEINEKEN in 2010) is one of the founding organisations of the Latin America Water Funds Partnership together with the Nature Conservancy.

This large-scale initiative is designed to create and strengthen Water Funds across the region. FAMM is one of currently 17 funds operated by the Partnership. Recently, the efforts of the Partnership were chosen from more than 1,000 applicants to receive the ‘Next Century Innovators Award’ given by the Rockefeller Foundation as part of its centennial celebration activities.

Collaborative initiatives such as FAMM are often viewed as win-win. In addition to mitigating important water risks for all water users, water resources themselves are kept healthy and flowing for local communities and businesses, and natural systems are protected, safeguarding livelihoods for the local people, habitat for wildlife and freshwater resources.

Click here to learn more about our approach to water stewardship.