Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) pre-screening – a pilot project of a Philip Morris International (PMI) tobacco plant in Santa Cruz du Sol, Brazil

Project description:

Phillip Morris International (PMI) decided that all PMI manufacturing facilities will be certified against the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) standard by 2025. In 2017, the plant in Santa Cruz du Sol in Brazil was selected for a pilot project before expanding the AWS standard application across their operations globally. The AWS standard is an integrative system for business and agriculture to assess, verify and communicate sustainable water management and use. Prior to the certification, a pre-screening by a recommended consultant such as HPC was required to prepare the sites for the certification. HPC AG, Frankfurt and denkstatt GmbH, Vienna cooperated with local Inogen Alliance associate Angel Ambiental, Brazil, and conducted the AWS training and sustainability assessment on-site, including a visit of the tobacco farmers and a tobacco leaf processing plant as local stakeholders.

Services:

Project planning, monitoring, coordination and project closure
Delivered training session for PMI staff on HQ level in Lausanne in Switzerland and one session at the pilot site in Brazil
An assessment report of current water status (current practices, performance, context) at the pilot location
Recommendations for the pilot site to meet the AWS standard requirements
A set-up toolbox consisting of tools, standard operation procedures (SOP) and guidance for bringing further sites to conformity with the AWS standard (roll-out)
AWS follow-up support (remote)

Advantages:

Gain leading position on sustainability topics (water management) within industry peers
Credible independently verifiable claims
Support Corporate Social Responsibility activities
Reinforces brand credentials
Increased employee engagement and understanding
Drives local collaboration and strengthen stakeholder relationships
Water risk mitigation

At a glance:

Client:

Philip Morris International (PMI), Av. de Rhodanie 50, 1007 Lausanne, Switzerland

Project value:

confidential

Project duration:

2017 – 2018

Images:

Ein Blick auf die PMI-Tabakfabrik in Santa Cruz du Sol, Brasilien, im Rahmen des AWS-Vorprüfungsprojekts.

Why work with us?

More than 75 years of experience

Since 1948, Ginger HPC has combined expertise and precision in environmental and engineering projects – ensuring reliable solutions that stand the test of time.

Strong international network

With offices across Europe, as part of the Ginger Group and as a founding member of the Inogen Alliance, we bring global insights and local expertise to every project.

Award-winning sustainability

From international certifications to industry awards, our achievements reflect engineering precision, high standards, and a continuous drive for innovation.