Environment

BIER Project Spotlight: Charco Bendito

May 25, 2023 12:15 PM ET
Charco Bendito Project
Charco Bendito

Project Name: Charco Bendito

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Welcome to our series aimed at spotlighting BIER projects. As part of our Member and Stakeholder spotlight series featuring the individual leaders within BIER member companies and stakeholder organizations, our project spotlight series highlights BIER member companies and stakeholder organizations involved in the innovative Charco Bendito project.

Learn how these practitioners and their companies have collaborated to develop and implement this innovative, first-of-its-kind, basin-level watershed initiative addressing three main goals: water accessibility, quality, and availability. Gain insights into key learnings and what inspires each of them to advance environmental sustainability in the beverage sector and collectively, overall.

What is the Charco Bendito watershed project? 

Charco Bendito, meaning “Blessed Pool,” is an innovative, first-of-its-kind watershed collaboration addressing shared water challenges in the Municipality of Tlajomulco de Zuniga, Jalisco Mexico, a part of the Lerma Santiago watershed in and around Guadalajara, Mexico.

Who is involved in the Charco Bendito watershed project? 

The project, initiated in 2020, has been designed and implemented by a team of individuals from BIER member local beverage operations in the Guadalajara area with technical support from Red Bio Terra and public relations support from Bardo Communications. This team works with local stakeholders to realize the project’s goals. Championing the project includes:

  • ABInBev – locally as Modelo
  • Bacardi – locally as Tequila Patron
  • Beam Suntory – locally as Casa Sauza
  • Brown-Forman – locally as Casa Herradura
  • Diageo
  • Keurig Dr Pepper – locally as Peñafiel
  • Pernod Ricard
  • Grupo Bimbo - Stakeholder - Non-BIER member
  • Mars Stakeholder - Non-BIER member

What does the Charco Bendito project aim to achieve?

BIER companies collaborating on Charco Bendito are keenly aware of the water crisis; as such, project partners are working meticulously and proactively to propagate a water-secure future in the watersheds they operate in.

The project involves seven BIER members and two non-BIER members working collaboratively to conserve 355 hectares as a goal. To date, progress has been made with 125 restored hectares of important land to improve the quality and quantity of water in the region. Key activities include planting native vegetation to increase groundwater levels and reduce soil loss, improving water infrastructure, and increasing awareness about the importance of water to healthy communities.

What is the significance of the Charco Bendito watershed project? What makes it special?

There are many contributing factors that make Charco Bendito a particularly inspiring watershed project. At its core, Charco Bendito is unique because its collaboration is comprised of beverage industry competitors, the local community, and committed local partners, working collaboratively to address complex watershed challenges at the basin level.

Additionally, the governance and finance of the collaboration support the project's green infrastructure restoration activities, including reforestation and conservation, and promoting equitable water access and connection for the population of San Lucas Evangelista by 2023 by investing in improving water quality through green infrastructure and water quality monitoring.

Municipal President from Tlajomulco de Zúñiga, Salvador Zamora Zamora, sums up the unique aspects of the project, “The local community is key to the success of this project, which is of great importance because it improves water conditions in an area of high cultural and ethnic significance. This project is unprecedented, and we acknowledge, and thank this group of companies for sharing a common vision.”

How to learn more about the Charco Bendito watershed project? 

Due to its innovative, collaborative, and results-generating nature, the Charco Bendito watershed project has been garnering much well-deserved attention. With presentations at the recent United Nations Water Conference and and an upcoming presentation at World Water Week on August 21, 2023, there are several ways to continue learning about the project, including:

Finally, stay tuned for the upcoming Member and Stakeholder Charco Bendito-specific spotlights showcasing how these practitioners and their companies have collaborated on this innovative, first-of-its-kind, basin-level watershed initiative.