Brewery’s long-term water stewardship strategy earns national recognition, underscoring measurable progress in watershed rehabilitation, climate action, and community resilience.
Heineken Malaysia has been recognized in the Nature & Biodiversity category at the Forward Faster Sustainability Awards 2026, organized by the UN Global Compact Network Malaysia & Brunei (UNGCMYB). The honour acknowledges the company’s holistic water management approach, one that integrates operational efficiency with watershed protection and community engagement.
At the centre of this recognition is the company’s Towards Healthy Watersheds initiative. Since 2014, Heineken Malaysia has improved water efficiency by 21% at its Sungei Way Brewery. Wastewater discharged from the facility is treated to standards that exceed those set by the Department of Environment, reflecting a deliberate effort to go beyond regulatory compliance.
The strategy, however, extends well beyond the brewery gates.
Through its corporate responsibility arm, SPARK Foundation, Heineken Malaysia has built long-term public–private partnerships with NGOs, local communities, and government agencies. These collaborations underpin the W.A.T.E.R Project – Working Actively Towards Education and Rehabilitation – launched in 2007 to protect and restore key water ecosystems.
Over the past 18 years, the company has invested RM16 million in safeguarding water resources. The focus areas include Sungai Way, Sungai Penchala, and the Sungai Selangor basin, where nature-based solutions such as river rehabilitation and reforestation have been implemented to strengthen long-term water security.
One of the most notable outcomes is the rehabilitation of the Sungei Way River. Previously classified as heavily polluted at Class IV–V, the river has improved to Class III, enabling it once again to support aquatic life. This shift represents sustained, on-the-ground engagement rather than short-term intervention.
In the Sungai Selangor river basin, SPARK Foundation has constructed a 305-metre clay dyke within a peat swamp forest and reforested three hectares of degraded peatland. These measures help raise the peatland water table, increasing water storage capacity while contributing to peatland stability and ecosystem resilience.
Community-based initiatives form another important layer of the programme. To date, 33 rainwater-harvesting systems have been installed and linked to community gardens. These systems provide access to clean water, reduce reliance on treated water for non-potable use, and mitigate the impact of supply disruptions.
By connecting water systems with small-scale farming, the company supports what is often termed the water–food nexus. Reliable access to water enables crops to thrive, strengthens local food production, and supplements household livelihoods. The approach also reduces pressure on shared water resources, particularly during dry spells.
As a result of this integrated model, Heineken Malaysia has achieved more than 200% water balancing since 2020, meaning it regenerates more than twice the volume of water used in its products. These results are independently verified using the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting framework developed by the World Resources Institute, adding transparency and credibility to the reported outcomes.
“A healthy watershed is at the heart of our water strategy,” said Martijn van Keulen, Managing Director of Heineken Malaysia. “By managing water both internally and externally, we integrate operational efficiency, watershed protection, and community engagement to support long-term water security for our business and the communities in which we operate.”
Renuka Indrarajah, Corporate Affairs & Legal Director of Heineken Malaysia, emphasised the long-term nature of the initiative. “Our W.A.T.E.R Project under the SPARK Foundation, launched in 2007, reflects a long-term approach that invests in nature-based solutions such as reforestation and rainwater harvesting to replenish more water than we use in our products. We are grateful to our partners, communities, and stakeholders whose collaboration has enabled us to drive meaningful impact both within our operations and far beyond our production site. Their continued support inspires us to keep pushing forward in our shared mission to protect and restore our watersheds.”
The Forward Faster Sustainability Awards recognition is complemented by the company’s inclusion as a 3-Star Lister on UNGCMYB’s ESG Select List 2025. This listing reflects continued progress across environmental priorities including water stewardship, climate action, and circular resource management.
Together, these acknowledgements signal steady advancement under Heineken Malaysia’s Brew a Better World strategy. The emphasis remains on practical, science-based actions with measurable environmental outcomes.
In a climate-conscious business landscape, water security is increasingly viewed not merely as an operational concern, but as a strategic imperative. For manufacturers in particular, responsible water management directly affects long-term viability, supply chain stability, and community trust.
By embedding watershed rehabilitation into its core sustainability agenda, Heineken Malaysia positions water stewardship as a shared responsibility. The model demonstrates how private-sector investment, when aligned with public and community partnerships, can yield outcomes that extend well beyond factory walls.
