Representatives of partners join an action programme to conserve water resources at five river basins in Việt Nam. It was public-private partnership programme among the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, HEINEKEN Vietnam, WWF-Viet Nam and local partners in Việt Nam. — Photo courtesy of HEINEKEN Vietnam

ĐÀ NẴNG — The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, in co-operation with HEINEKEN Vietnam, WWF-Viet Nam and local partners, have officially announced the nationwide expansion of their public-private partnership programme to conserve water resources across five key river basins in Việt Nam where HEINEKEN’s breweries operate.

This announcement marks the second phase of the programme, scaling up the successful public-private partnership model and advancing HEINEKEN Vietnam’s ambition to achieve 100 per cent water balance across all five breweries by 2030.

The partnership will expand to the Cu Đê River Basin in Đà Nẵng City and Ray River–Đá Đen basin in HCM City, while continuing water conservation efforts across existing programmes in the Red River, Tiền River and Đồng Nai River basins from 2026 to 2030.

Việt Nam is facing growing pressure on water security, driven by declining water quality, groundwater extraction, saltwater intrusion and the increasingly visible impacts of climate change.

Conserving water resources, therefore, is critical and requires collective action from the Government, local authorities, businesses, technical institutions and communities – bringing together the strengths, expertise and resources of each to develop practical solutions and generate long-term impact.

Clean water use is seen at a household living in Hòa Bắc village on the Cu Đê River bank. A conservation of water resources programme in the river basin was announced in Đà Nẵng City. — Photo courtesy of HEINEKEN Vietnam

Since 2022, HEINEKEN Vietnam has pioneered PPPs with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, WWF-Vietnam and local partners to roll out water conversation initiatives across the Red River, Đồng Nai River, and Tiền River basins.

By the end of 2025, the programme replenished more than 2.2 billion litres of water annually across the three river basins, enabling HEINEKEN Vietnam to achieve 100 per cent water balance across its Hà Nội, HCM City, and Tiền Giang breweries – a significant milestone in its ambition.

The programme has also contributed to local ecosystem restoration, improved water resource management, strengthened community engagement in water conservation, and enhanced local livelihoods.

These results have demonstrated how committed public-private partnerships can turn sustainability ambitions into meaningful, long-term impact.

HEINEKEN Vietnam said it will continue to scale up the model across the Cu Đê River basin and Ray-Đá Đen River basin from 2026-30, implementing nature-based solutions and improving community access to clean water, supporting local water security and development.

With a total investment of VNĐ70 billion (about US$2.8 million) in the programme for 2022-30, HEINEKEN Vietnam aims to achieve 100 per cent water balance across all five operating breweries by 2030. This means the company is seeking to return to nature the entire amount of water that goes into its products. This ambition is part of HEINEKEN Vietnam’s broader commitment to supporting Việt Nam’s long-term, sustainable growth, creating lasting value for the economy, society and environment.

Wietse Mutters, Managing Director of HEINEKEN Vietnam, said: “Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. For 35 years, we have grown alongside Việt Nam, working with our partners to pioneer and innovate in addressing the challenges we face together. Since 2022, we have partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, WWF-Viet Nam and local communities to bring together different expertise and resources to protect water resources in some of Viet Nam’s key river basins. The progress we have made gives us confidence to scale up this partnership further, as we work towards our ambition of achieving 100 per cent water balance across all our breweries by 2030, and continuing to create positive impact for Việt Nam.”

An upstream section of the Cu Đê River in the rural mountainous area in Đà Nẵng City. The river supplies water resources for the city's daily life and production. — Photo courtesy of Bùi Văn Tuấn

Nguyễn Đỗ Anh Tuấn, Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, stressed: “The public-private partnership between HEINEKEN Vietnam, WWF-Viet Nam and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has demonstrated what can be achieved when different stakeholders come together around a shared goal. Water security is becoming an increasingly important issue for Việt Nam, particularly as we enter a new era where growth goes hand in hand with sustainable development. The contributions of businesses such as HEINEKEN Vietnam are highly valuable in protecting and preserving our water resources.”

Last year, the company contributed the equivalent of 0.5 per cent of national GDP in value added, supported 167,000 jobs across its value chain, and spent nearly VNĐ22 trillion (an approximate $880,000) on domestic procurement. — VNS