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Carlsberg Britvic has launched a 10-year partnership with The Rivers Trust to support the restoration of rivers, wetlands and floodplains near its manufacturing site in Rugby, UK.

The partnership forms part of Carlsberg Group’s wider commitment to replenish 100% of water consumed at production sites in high-risk areas by 2032. Rugby has been identified as a high-risk site under the group’s water risk assessment, which considers factors including water availability, quality, regulation and community-related risks.

The initiative will support multiple nature-based projects across the Warwickshire Avon catchment, approximately 15 miles from Carlsberg Britvic’s Rugby site. Projects will include work on the River Leam and other local waterways to reconnect and enhance floodplains, create wetland habitats and improve the landscape’s ability to store and slow water.

The projects have been selected based on their position within the wider river system, ecological condition and proximity to communities vulnerable to flooding. They are intended to improve river health while helping to reduce flood risk downstream.

The first project is due to begin in October and will reconnect the River Alne with its natural floodplain, while creating a network of storage wetlands designed to slow, store and manage water across the landscape.

According to Carlsberg Britvic, the project is expected to reduce flood risk for downstream communities including Henley-in-Arden and Alcester, while supporting biodiversity through new wetland and woodland habitats. The work will be delivered by Severn Rivers Trust, The Rivers Trust’s member organisation for the region.

The partnership supports Carlsberg Britvic’s target to replenish 100% of the water used at its Rugby site, equivalent to approximately one million cubic metres annually, by 2032.

The company has set an interim target of replenishing 400,000 cubic metres per year by 2028. Based on current assumptions, the projects are estimated to replenish more than 328,000 cubic metres of water annually, with their performance set to be monitored over time.

The initiative represents Carlsberg Group’s first water replenishment project in Europe and forms part of its broader water stewardship and sustainability programme.

Paul Davies, CEO of Carlsberg Britvic, said: “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.”

He added that the partnership would help turn the company’s water replenishment ambitions into practical action by working with experts and local stakeholders.

Mark Lloyd, CEO of The Rivers Trust, said the partnership would enable “practical, nature-based solutions” to restore rivers and catchments, support biodiversity and deliver measurable water benefits.

George Clark, programme manager at Severn Rivers Trust, said the investment would support work with farmers and land managers to reconnect rivers with floodplains, create ponds and wetlands and restore natural processes.

The projects are intended to support river and wetland health, biodiversity and community resilience beyond the boundaries of Carlsberg Britvic’s Rugby manufacturing site.