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BAT Nigeria earns alliance for water stewardship certification

January 26, 2023 5:10 pm

The British American Tobacco (BAT) Nigeria says its Ibadan factory, in Oyo state, has been awarded the highly prestigious Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) core certification.

In a statement on Monday, the organisation said the global certification which is given after a rigorous audit process is awarded to organisations that meet the globally set standards and applicable framework for sustainable water management, both within its factory and beyond.

The company added that it was presented with the certification based on its commitment and contribution towards the responsible use of water in a socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable way.

“Earning this certification demonstrates BAT Nigeria has met all 5 core criteria in the global benchmark for responsible water stewardship, making this facility one of only 254 organisations worldwide to earn the respected designation, and one of only three in Nigeria,” the company said.

Alberto Kauer, the operations director of BAT West and Central Africa, remarked that BAT Nigeria is pleased with the recognition of the company’s sustainability efforts in water stewardship.

Kauer further said achieving the certification was in line with the 2025 sustainability priorities of BAT. He said the factory had achieved up to 14.4% reduction in water withdrawn, which is in addition to recycling the factory’s wastewater by treating it and reusing in non-essential areas.

He said BAT Nigeria is accelerating its ambition towards creating A Better Tomorrow™ for the environment and the communities in which it operates.

“The AWS Award is now part of the endearing history of sustainability achievements in BAT Nigeria and across the West and Central Africa Area. BAT Nigeria will continue to invest in sustainable actions and pursue good water governance initiatives as the company evolves from a business where sustainability is important, to one where it is front and centre in all that we do,” Yarub Al-Bahrani, the managing director of BAT Nigeria and area director West and Central Africa, said.