Map Test

Nestlé Waters Switzerland launched the ECO-Broye programme around the sources of Henniez in 2009, working closely with local partners such as farmers, foresters, businesses and authorities in order to preserve the natural quality of the groundwater.

In a region with intensive farming, sustainable agriculture using zero pesticides and chemical fertilisers has been implemented on 120 hectares in the immediate catchment area. Over a 2,400 hectares in the wider surroundings, Nestlé Waters promotes biodiversity with ecological networks and fauna corridors.

In 2016, a biogas plant (run by a partner company) was installed that converts 30,000 tonnes of manure from 25 surrounding farms, together with coffee grounds collected from Nespresso capsule recycling, into renewable energy. This supplies 1,500 households with electricity, and part of the generated heat is used by the adjacent Henniez bottling plant. In return, the farmers receive a highly efficient fertilizer and over 3,000 tonnes of CO2 eq. are avoided.

In 2021, the AgrEauConseil programme was launched, to work with local farmers to reduce their use of pesticides, providing advice and support around methods of regenerative agriculture (cover crops, no ploughing, mechanical vs. chemical treatment, etc.).

The Panna Estate has a high level of environmental quality and ecosystem heterogeneity thanks to the presence of woods, grasslands and shrubs, and aquatic environments. A study with the Italian Federation of Parks and Nature Reserves and the University of Tuscany confirmed that a broad range of species on the estate are worth protecting, including amphibians, reptiles, birds, small mammals and insects. The project aims at protecting and further enhancing the range of habitats in the area by targeted renaturation activities.

Withing the municipality of Etalle, Nestlé Waters has been working together with 10 local farmers to preserve the groundwater resources that supply the Nestlé factory and the local population. The farmers, operating in the groundwater catchment area operated by the Etalle plant, have committed to cultivate without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, for an environmentally friendly agriculture. 

Nestlé Waters is sharing decades of experience in sustainable agriculture, providing local farmers with technical reflection and material assistance to produce an environmentally friendly agriculture while ensuring that they have a viable economic activity.

This program is based on the French experience of Agrivair, founded by Nestlé in 1990, which already operates in France for the brands Vittel, Contrex and Hépar.

The Super Bock Group – owners of the natural mineral water brands Pedras and Vitalis – are ensuring the sustainability of the ecosystems of the natural parks in which these sources are located. Aware that water contributes to the regeneration of the soil and biodiversity and is a finite resource that must be preserved, the group is working to offset more than 40% of its water consumption by 2050 through soil restoration and reforestation.

In partnership with ANP/WWF (Associação Natureza Portugal/World Wide Fund for Nature), the group is conserving existing species  on land adjacent to the Pedras Salgadas Park, eliminating weeds and planting about 1,800 trees based an agroforestry approach to soil recovery. The project aims to:
– increase native forest biodiversity and the natural regeneration of species characteristic of the area;
– increase water retention capacity by 23m3 per year;
– deliver the potential to sequester between 25 and 69 tons of CO2 per year.

In 2022, a waterhole was also created for the benefit of local biodiversity, in particular insects and reptiles. Along with the new tree structures around it, it will serve as a refuge for the various birds that inhabit the region. 

In cooperation with the beekeeping association BeeTogether e.V., Rhenser are contributing to strengthening the bee population. They have settled two beehives in the beautiful Middle Rhine Valley, where there is plenty of food for bees. The first honey harvests have been very plentiful.

The next steps will involve the creation of a flower meadow, the planting of fruit trees at Rhenser springs and on company premises, and the creation of a small bee trail on the banks of the Rhine.  With BeeKeeper, Rhenser are also planning further activities to create additional living space for the bees.

The project intended to be a fun example that will inspire people to make their own contribution to protecting bees and insects. Everyone can contribute to reducing bee mortality. If the bees and other insects are doing well, humans also benefit from the rich gifts of nature in the form of fruit, vegetables, herbs, and seeds.

The little owl was almost extinct in the district of Ludwigsburg in Baden-Württemberg at the end of the 1980s. 
Only eight pairs of the little owl could be detected at that time. The “FOGE – Research Association for the Conservation of Owls” therefore started a project to protect the little owl in 1988 in cooperation with various nature conservation organizations. 

This project is supported by the Lower Nature Conservation Authority, the District Office and the district municipalities. It is the focus of FOGE’s work. Ensinger Mineral-Heilquellen GmbH has been supporting FOGE in its work to protect and preserve this owl species since 2000, not only financially, but also by providing premises and technical and human resources. 

Thanks to the dedicated work of the FOGE volunteers and the generous support of Ensinger, the population of the little owl has grown to over 300 breeding pairs in 2022.  Today, the district of Ludwigsburg is again one of the areas in southern Germany most densely populated by the little owl.

The little owl project is a component of Ensinger’s sustainability policy and the lighthouse project of the medium-sized family company in the WIN-Charta, the economic initiative for sustainability of the state of Baden-Württemberg.

In 2018, Vilsa entered a long-term partnership with the German Nature Conservation Organisation ‘Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung’ to support projects for the conservation and restoration of natural habitats. The projects focus on achieving sustained improvements for endangered animal and plant species. Depending on the project, measures include mapping of species, planting hedges, creating fallow land, renaturing streams, reintroducing native species and more.

In 2022, the projects targeted reintroducing terrapins and crayfishes, protecting field hamsters and wild bees, and restoring heath landscape. In 2023, Vilsa started long-term support for conserving the ‘Aschhorner Moor’, a wilderness area of nearly 500 hectares in Lower Saxony. Furthermore, Vilsa support renaturing in an alluvial forest as well as the ecologically correct tending and shaping of a forest edge.

The 2023 projects have in common that the effect of conserving and restoring natural habitats positively interacts with the regulation of the natural water balance as well as climate change mitigation. Combining protection of natural habitats with positive effects on water conservation and climate protection will be a key characteristic of Vilsa’s partnership with “Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung” in the future.

Protecting biodiversity on arable land, in public areas, in yards and gardens is soil protection. Healthy soil is the basis for mineral water with maximal purity. For this purpose, Bad Dürrheimer Mineralbrunnen committed to soil protection and flourishing landscapes in association with the city of Bad Dürrheim and other stakeholders.

For example, wildflower strips have already been introduced alongside fields and on public and private areas. Blooming local areas create urgently needed shelter and make an important contribution to soil health. A great number of faunal and floral biodiversity increases the self-cleaning powers of soil which contributes to the purity of percolating water.

One of the project aims is to bring together environmental experts and landscape designers to work with the company. Help has been received from ecologists, gardeners, beekeepers, farmers, representatives of the city and Bad Dürrheim citizens. With their support Bad Dürrheimer Mineralbrunnen will be able to continue planting and seeding flowers over the coming years, using a seed mix of native flowers and herbs to promote regional biodiversity.

In addition, Bad Dürrheimer Mineralbrunnen are running campaigns to draw attention to this project with our project partners the Schwarzwald-Baar-Neckar environmental center and the Donaueschingen environmental office. “Bad Dürrheim is blooming” is a long-term project, and was awarded for its special contribution to the conservation of biodiversity during the UN Decade on Biological Diversity 2011-2020.

Nature study rally: Twice a year, RheinfelsQuellen organises a natural study rally at various locations, such as in the Rheinaue Walsum nature reserve. Participants learn about the water cycle, native animals and plants as well as mineral water production. The rallies are carried out in cooperation with the Naturwerkstatt Duisburg – Verein für Umweltbildung e. V (an organization for environmental education)

Workshop for sustainable and biological agriculture: RheinfelsQuellen works with farmers in the region to promote the advantages of organic farming. They held an information event on the Lower Rhine and a changeover day, where interested farmers were able to get in touch with speakers from organic farming association Naturland, the North Rhine Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture and healthy soils organisation Interessengemeinschaft Gesunder Boden e. V. Participants received information and tips on converting to organic farming as well as promotion and stabilisation of the soil structure and crop rotation, fertilization and weed regulation.

Trainee sustainability day: Last year, RheinfelsQuellen held a trainee sustainability day for the first time in cooperation with the organisation Naturwerkstatt Duisburg. This is an action programme with knowledge transfer about ecology and sustainability. The trainees took part in a natural study tour in the Rheinaue Walsum and created a wildflower meadow themselves. The aim is to sensitise young people to sustainability issues at an early stage.

Climate protection and environmental protection have always been an element of Gerolsteiner Brunnen’s corporate strategy. Therefore, active forest protection moves them to act in a sustainable manner, because healthy forests are natural water filters and reservoirs and thus ensure clean groundwater. Therefore, in 2013, in cooperation with the State Forests of Rhineland-Palatinate, the company initiated the Gerolsteiner Zukunftswald project (Future Forest by Gerolsteiner) with the aim of reforesting forests in a climate-resilient manner.

Today Future Forest has more than 165,000 climate-stable trees on an area the size of 75 soccer fields (520,000m²). They consciously rely on the planting of climate-resilient mixed trees, which are better able to cope with the consequences of climate change than spruce monocultures that were planted in this area in the 19th century. Furthermore, more new groundwater forms in deciduous and mixed forests than in pure coniferous forests.

The State Forests of Rhineland-Palatinate praise the project as important help for the forest in the region. In this way, the forest is kept fit and clean water is ensured in the long term. This spurs Gerolsteiner on to continue planting at least 20,000 new trees annually until 2025.

Nestlé Waters Switzerland launched the ECO-Broye programme around the sources of Henniez in 2009, working closely with local partners such as farmers, foresters, businesses and authorities in order to preserve the natural quality of the groundwater.

In a region with intensive farming, sustainable agriculture using zero pesticides and chemical fertilisers has been implemented on 120 hectares in the immediate catchment area. Over a 2,400 hectares in the wider surroundings, Nestlé Waters promotes biodiversity with ecological networks and fauna corridors.

In 2016, a biogas plant (run by a partner company) was installed that converts 30,000 tonnes of manure from 25 surrounding farms, together with coffee grounds collected from Nespresso capsule recycling, into renewable energy. This supplies 1,500 households with electricity, and part of the generated heat is used by the adjacent Henniez bottling plant. In return, the farmers receive a highly efficient fertilizer and over 3,000 tonnes of CO2 eq. are avoided.

In 2021, the AgrEauConseil programme was launched, to work with local farmers to reduce their use of pesticides, providing advice and support around methods of regenerative agriculture (cover crops, no ploughing, mechanical vs. chemical treatment, etc.).

Renaturation of the catchment area, aimed at increasing natural capital and carbon sequestration.

The Panna Estate has a high level of environmental quality and ecosystem heterogeneity thanks to the presence of woods, grasslands and shrubs, and aquatic environments. A study with the Italian Federation of Parks and Nature Reserves and the University of Tuscany confirmed that a broad range of species on the estate are worth protecting, including amphibians, reptiles, birds, small mammals and insects. The project aims at protecting and further enhancing the range of habitats in the area by targeted renaturation activities.

Better agricultural practices to protect groundwater and nature.

Withing the municipality of Etalle, Nestlé Waters has been working together with 10 local farmers to preserve the groundwater resources that supply the Nestlé factory and the local population. The farmers, operating in the groundwater catchment area operated by the Etalle plant, have committed to cultivate without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides, for an environmentally friendly agriculture.

Nestlé Waters is sharing decades of experience in sustainable agriculture, providing local farmers with technical reflection and material assistance to produce an environmentally friendly agriculture while ensuring that they have a viable economic activity.

This program is based on the French experience of Agrivair, founded by Nestlé in 1990, which already operates in France for the brands Vittel, Contrex and Hépar.

The Super Bock Group – owners of the natural mineral water brands Pedras and Vitalis – are ensuring the sustainability of the ecosystems of the natural parks in which these sources are located. Aware that water contributes to the regeneration of the soil and biodiversity and is a finite resource that must be preserved, the group is working to offset more than 40% of its water consumption by 2050 through soil restoration and reforestation.

In partnership with ANP/WWF (Associação Natureza Portugal/World Wide Fund for Nature), the group is conserving existing species on land adjacent to the Pedras Salgadas Park, eliminating weeds and planting about 1,800 trees based an agroforestry approach to soil recovery. The project aims to: – increase native forest biodiversity and the natural regeneration of species characteristic of the area; – increase water retention capacity by 23m3 per year; – deliver the potential to sequester between 25 and 69 tons of CO2 per year.

In 2022, a waterhole was also created for the benefit of local biodiversity, in particular insects and reptiles. Along with the new tree structures around it, it will serve as a refuge for the various birds that inhabit the region.

In cooperation with the beekeeping association BeeTogether e.V., Rhenser are contributing to strengthening the bee population. They have settled two beehives in the beautiful Middle Rhine Valley, where there is plenty of food for bees. The first honey harvests have been very plentiful.

The next steps will involve the creation of a flower meadow, the planting of fruit trees at Rhenser springs and on company premises, and the creation of a small bee trail on the banks of the Rhine. With BeeKeeper, Rhenser are also planning further activities to create additional living space for the bees.

The project intended to be a fun example that will inspire people to make their own contribution to protecting bees and insects. Everyone can contribute to reducing bee mortality. If the bees and other insects are doing well, humans also benefit from the rich gifts of nature in the form of fruit, vegetables, herbs, and seeds.

The little owl was almost extinct in the district of Ludwigsburg in Baden-Württemberg at the end of the 1980s. Only eight pairs of the little owl could be detected at that time. The “FOGE – Research Association for the Conservation of Owls” therefore started a project to protect the little owl in 1988 in cooperation with various nature conservation organizations.

This project is supported by the Lower Nature Conservation Authority, the District Office and the district municipalities. It is the focus of FOGE’s work. Ensinger Mineral-Heilquellen GmbH has been supporting FOGE in its work to protect and preserve this owl species since 2000, not only financially, but also by providing premises and technical and human resources.

Thanks to the dedicated work of the FOGE volunteers and the generous support of Ensinger, the population of the little owl has grown to over 300 breeding pairs in 2022. Today, the district of Ludwigsburg is again one of the areas in southern Germany most densely populated by the little owl.

The little owl project is a component of Ensinger’s sustainability policy and the lighthouse project of the medium-sized family company in the WIN-Charta, the economic initiative for sustainability of the state of Baden-Württemberg.

In 2018, Vilsa entered a long-term partnership with the German Nature Conservation Organisation ‘Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung’ to support projects for the conservation and restoration of natural habitats. The projects focus on achieving sustained improvements for endangered animal and plant species. Depending on the project, measures include mapping of species, planting hedges, creating fallow land, renaturing streams, reintroducing native species and more.
In 2022, the projects targeted reintroducing terrapins and crayfishes, protecting field hamsters and wild bees, and restoring heath landscape. In 2023, Vilsa started long-term support for conserving the ‘Aschhorner Moor’, a wilderness area of nearly 500 hectares in Lower Saxony. Furthermore, Vilsa support renaturing in an alluvial forest as well as the ecologically correct tending and shaping of a forest edge.

The 2023 projects have in common that the effect of conserving and restoring natural habitats positively interacts with the regulation of the natural water balance as well as climate change mitigation. Combining protection of natural habitats with positive effects on water conservation and climate protection will be a key characteristic of Vilsa’s partnership with “Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung” in the future.

Protecting biodiversity on arable land, in public areas, in yards and gardens is soil protection. Healthy soil is the basis for mineral water with maximal purity. For this purpose, Bad Dürrheimer Mineralbrunnen committed to soil protection and flourishing landscapes in association with the city of Bad Dürrheim and other stakeholders.
For example, wildflower strips have already been introduced alongside fields and on public and private areas. Blooming local areas create urgently needed shelter and make an important contribution to soil health. A great number of faunal and floral biodiversity increases the self-cleaning powers of soil which contributes to the purity of percolating water.
One of the project aims is to bring together environmental experts and landscape designers to work with the company. Help has been received from ecologists, gardeners, beekeepers, farmers, representatives of the city and Bad Dürrheim citizens. With their support Bad Dürrheimer Mineralbrunnen will be able to continue planting and seeding flowers over the coming years, using a seed mix of native flowers and herbs to promote regional biodiversity.
In addition, Bad Dürrheimer Mineralbrunnen are running campaigns to draw attention to this project with our project partners the Schwarzwald-Baar-Neckar environmental center and the Donaueschingen environmental office. “Bad Dürrheim is blooming” is a long-term project, and was awarded for its special contribution to the conservation of biodiversity during the UN Decade on Biological Diversity 2011-2020.

Nature study rally: Twice a year, RheinfelsQuellen organises a natural study rally at various locations, such as in the Rheinaue Walsum nature reserve. Participants learn about the water cycle, native animals and plants as well as mineral water production. The rallies are carried out in cooperation with the Naturwerkstatt Duisburg – Verein für Umweltbildung e. V (an organization for environmental education).
Workshop for sustainable and biological agriculture: RheinfelsQuellen works with farmers in the region to promote the advantages of organic farming. They held an information event on the Lower Rhine and a changeover day, where interested farmers were able to get in touch with speakers from organic farming association Naturland, the North Rhine Westphalia Chamber of Agriculture and healthy soils organisation Interessengemeinschaft Gesunder Boden e. V. Participants received information and tips on converting to organic farming as well as promotion and stabilisation of the soil structure and crop rotation, fertilization and weed regulation.
Trainee sustainability day: Last year, RheinfelsQuellen held a trainee sustainability day for the first time in cooperation with the organisation Naturwerkstatt Duisburg. This is an action programme with knowledge transfer about ecology and sustainability. The trainees took part in a natural study tour in the Rheinaue Walsum and created a wildflower meadow themselves. The aim is to sensitise young people to sustainability issues at an early stage.

Climate protection and environmental protection have always been an element of Gerolsteiner Brunnen’s corporate strategy. Therefore, active forest protection moves them to act in a sustainable manner, because healthy forests are natural water filters and reservoirs and thus ensure clean groundwater. Therefore, in 2013, in cooperation with the State Forests of Rhineland-Palatinate, the company initiated the Gerolsteiner Zukunftswald project (Future Forest by Gerolsteiner) with the aim of reforesting forests in a climate-resilient manner.

Today Future Forest has more than 165,000 climate-stable trees on an area the size of 75 soccer fields (520,000m²). They consciously rely on the planting of climate-resilient mixed trees, which are better able to cope with the consequences of climate change than spruce monocultures that were planted in this area in the 19th century. Furthermore, more new groundwater forms in deciduous and mixed forests than in pure coniferous forests.

The State Forests of Rhineland-Palatinate praise the project as important help for the forest in the region. In this way, the forest is kept fit and clean water is ensured in the long term. This spurs Gerolsteiner on to continue planting at least 20,000 new trees annually until 2025.

Another step have been reached by signing the first ORE (real environmental obligations) agreement, in partnership with an expert organization, the Natural Areas Conservatory of Languedoc Roussillon (CEN), to protect 112 hectares of forests on the territory.  The voluntary commitment was the first of its kind in France. At the end of 2021, the site launched a biodiversity committee composed of local NGOs to advise, challenge, and follow the deployment of the dedicated biodiversity action plan.

In Mnichov, Byňov and Poděbrady, natural flower meadows which were abandoned and overgrown by woody vegetation will be restored. In some of them, pools are being built to support the diversity of amphibians, birdhouses for birds of prey and songbirds, and wintering grounds for snakes.

Areas will be returned to an earlier successional stage of meadow by being cleared from overgrown woody plants and shrubs, invasive plants species will be repeatedly removed until completely eradicated, spatial mosaic mowing system will be implemented in order to provide shelter and food for insects all year round and, where needed, regional seed mix of flowering plants will be planted. In some localities nectariferous shrubs or trees will be planted in alleys.

After reaching the desired state, maintanance works will be carried out regularly. All field work, professional evaluation and plans of measures are done by experts from the Czech Union for Nature Conservation.

In Mnichov, Byňov and Poděbrady, natural flower meadows which were abandoned and overgrown by woody vegetation will be restored. In some of them, pools are being built to support the diversity of amphibians, birdhouses for birds of prey and songbirds, and wintering grounds for snakes.

Areas will be returned to an earlier successional stage of meadow by being cleared from overgrown woody plants and shrubs, invasive plants species will be repeatedly removed until completely eradicated, spatial mosaic mowing system will be implemented in order to provide shelter and food for insects all year round and, where needed, regional seed mix of flowering plants will be planted. In some localities nectariferous shrubs or trees will be planted in alleys.

After reaching the desired state, maintanance works will be carried out regularly. All field work, professional evaluation and plans of measures are done by experts from the Czech Union for Nature Conservation.

In Mnichov, Byňov and Poděbrady, natural flower meadows which were abandoned and overgrown by woody vegetation will be restored. In some of them, pools are being built to support the diversity of amphibians, birdhouses for birds of prey and songbirds, and wintering grounds for snakes.

Areas will be returned to an earlier successional stage of meadow by being cleared from overgrown woody plants and shrubs, invasive plants species will be repeatedly removed until completely eradicated, spatial mosaic mowing system will be implemented in order to provide shelter and food for insects all year round and, where needed, regional seed mix of flowering plants will be planted. In some localities nectariferous shrubs or trees will be planted in alleys.

After reaching the desired state, maintanance works will be carried out regularly. All field work, professional evaluation and plans of measures are done by experts from the Czech Union for Nature Conservation.