OB launches campaign to address importance of water

OB CEO Bruno Cosentino, third from left, and employees set up bulletin boards with information about water scarcity and a list of ways to conserve water. Courtesy of OB

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Oriental Brewery (OB) launched its “No water for 6 hours” campaign to raise public awareness about the importance of preserving clean water as a corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity.

On Wednesday, about 250 employees at OB's headquarter in Seoul spent a six-hour period during which no water was used.

Drinking water, coffee, tea and other beverages and using water in office restrooms and kitchens were restricted between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. to increase conservation awareness.

In eight out of 10 households in countries suffering from water shortages, women and girls usually bear the responsibility for collecting water, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In addition, they often spend up to six hours a day walking for water.

OB employees were also encouraged to walk the “water track” to experience the same challenge as those who do this task every day.

In addition to the walk, the company set up a photo exhibition and bulletin boards with inspiring stories of women and girls around the world who collect water, information about water scarcity and a list of ways to conserve water every day.

The event served as an opportunity for participants to reflect on their own water use and realize that easy access to potable water is not a given, and the importance of clean water.

“Through our no water for 6 hours campaign, we would like our employees to better understand the importance of clean water and think about what they can do to help preserve water resources,” an OB official said.

Over the years, Korea's largest brewer has actively funded and participated in a range of activities to preserve clean water, as well as staging water conservation campaigns.

In 2010, the United Nations (U.N.) named March 22 as World Water Day to promote “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights.”