Carlsberg Britvic has entered into a 10-year partnership with The Rivers Trust to restore rivers, wetlands and floodplains around its Rugby manufacturing site, as the drinks producer works towards replenishing the water used at the facility.
The partnership will support a series of nature-based projects across the Warwickshire Avon catchment, around 15 miles from the Rugby site. Projects will include work on the River Leam and other local waterways to reconnect rivers with floodplains, create wetland habitats and improve the landscape’s ability to store and slow water.
The first project is due to start in October on the River Alne, where a network of storage wetlands will be created and the river reconnected with its natural floodplain. The scheme is intended to help reduce flood risk downstream, including around Henley-in-Arden and Alcester, while enhancing biodiversity through the creation of new wetland habitats and woodland area.
The projects will be delivered by Severn Rivers Trust, the local member trust of The Rivers Trust, working with farmers, land managers and other local stakeholders.
Carlsberg Britvic said the locations had been selected because of their importance within the wider river system, poor ecological condition and their position upstream of communities vulnerable to flooding.
Working towards water replenishment target
The partnership forms part of Carlsberg Group’s target to replenish 100% of the water consumed at production sites in high water-risk areas by 2032.
Rugby was identified as a high-risk site following Carlsberg Group’s latest water-risk assessment, which considers factors including water availability and quality, regulation, community-related risks and the scale and future growth of individual production sites.
Carlsberg Britvic said the Rugby site uses approximately one million cubic metres of water a year. It has set an interim target of replenishing 400,000m³ annually by 2028, with the projects announced expected to replenish more than 328,000m³ a year based on current assumptions.
The company said the projects would be monitored regularly to ensure they continue to deliver the expected water benefits.
The partnership represents Carlsberg Group’s first water replenishment project in Europe, according to Carlsberg Britvic. The group said it replenished 1.46 million m³ of water in 2025 through projects around high-risk sites in India, China and Cambodia.
Nigel Paine, VP Production, Carlsberg Britvic (L) and Mark Lloyd, CEO of The Rivers Trust Photo: Carlsberg Group
“Water is at the heart of every drink we make, so protecting this precious resource is not only important for our business, it’s a responsibility we take seriously,” Paul Davies, Carlsberg Britvic chief executive, said.
“This project proves that investing in the resilience of our business goes hand in hand with investing in the long-term health of the environments and communities around us.”
Mark Lloyd, CEO of The Rivers Trust, said the partnership would help deliver “practical, nature-based solutions” to restore rivers and catchments, support biodiversity and create measurable water benefits.
“This summer has provided another stark reminder that water cannot be taken for granted. Across the UK, we're seeing record temperatures and devastating impacts of pollution and drought on our rivers, making water resilience more important than ever for businesses, communities and the environment alike,” he added.
Carlsberg Britvic has worked with The Rivers Trust since 2021 on water stewardship projects around its production sites. Its existing programme has included wetland and meadow creation around Rugby, while the wider partnership has also supported projects around its Leeds and Beckton sites.
The new 10-year programme will extend that work from individual site-based projects to a wider catchment approach, with the benefits intended to extend beyond the company’s Rugby factory and into surrounding communities and ecosystems.