Noble Foods joins water stewardship programme

NOBLE FOODS has joined a collective programme to enhance water security both for people and the natural environment.

The Water Roadmap is part of the Courtauld Commitment 2030, a voluntary agreement from climate action NGO Wrap.

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The Courtauld Commitment 2030 enables action across the entire UK food chain to deliver farm-to-fork reductions in three main areas: food waste, greenhouse gas emissions and water stress. All of which will help the UK food and drink sector achieve global environmental goals.

A part of that is the Water Roadmap, a collaborative project calling for businesses to move from compliance in water management towards more effective water stewardship.

Delivered in partnership with The Rivers Trust and WWF, the Roadmap sets out the need for cross-sector collaboration and provides a practical framework for businesses to act and work collectively to enhance water security for people, nature and the economy.

Water roadmap

As part of Noble Foods’ new Water Roadmap pledge, the company has committed to improving the security of food and drink supply.

The Water Roadmap has an overall target: by 2030, 50% of fresh food will be sourced from areas with sustainable water management.

Noble Foods said work was already underway in one of its priority areas, the Wye and Usk river catchment areas.

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The company has been working closely with a local charity, the Wye & Usk Foundation, to trial a series of wetland pools to monitor reductions in phosphate levels.

Commenting on the commitment, Noble Foods’ group environmental, health and safety manager, Glenn Evans, said: “Joining the Water Roadmap is an important step for Noble Foods on our path to better protect the environment for our customers, producers and colleagues.

“As the UK’s largest egg supplier, we have a responsibility to continue to lead the way for our sector.

“As a group of food and drink businesses, we can achieve much more collectively than we can individually.

Carbon storage

“We recognise that water risks can be reduced by using nature-based solutions, which have multiple benefits, including increased carbon storage, reduced soil loss and improved biodiversity.

“One of our priorities will be working to reduce and diffuse phosphate pollution and to improve site conditions in the Wye & Usk catchment.”

“Our commitment to the Water Roadmap will be beneficial for our wider sustainability strategy and net zero aspirations but also allows us to share best-practice with other signatories.

“We are committed to protecting and sustaining the environments our businesses operate in”.