How DS Smith is Leading the Way in Water Conservation

By 2030, global demand for freshwater is expected to exceed supply by 40% with agriculture accounting for 70% of the current global water withdrawals.

DS Smith, a leading global provider of sustainable, fibre-based corrugated packaging has announced its US$1m donation to global environment NGO, The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

The collaboration will fund three water-based conservation projects in the UK, Croatia and the United States.

DS Smith’s initiative

The collaboration will support TNC’s global freshwater conservation priorities whilst aligning with DS Smith’s commitment to protecting nature, biodiversity and water usage. 

The commitment is part of the company’s Now and Next sustainability strategy that aims to create a low carbon, circular economy within the company.

DS Smith has replaced more than 274 million pieces of plastic in the UK to date, leading the company's global effort to reduce plastic usage.

The company also achieved a 4% reduction in water abstraction within paper mills, in areas at risk of water stress.

“We are thrilled that the DS Smith Charitable Foundation is making this commitment to TNC to support its mission,” says Wouter van Tol, Head of Sustainability & Community Affairs. 

“Sustainability is core to DS Smith’s purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world and environmental stewardship is embedded in our Now and Next sustainability strategy. 

“In 2024 we made good progress on water management plans and biodiversity programmes at our paper mills and 100% of our in-scope mills and packaging sites now have water management plans. 

“Reusing and recycling water multiple times and through efficient water treatment ensures the safe return to the natural environment to continue the water cycle.”

Where will DS Smith’s funding go?

DS Smith’s US$1m fund will go towards:

• The Norfolk Water Fund (NWF)
• Restoring three rivers in Croatia
• Investing in the Prater’s Mill Dam in Georgia, USA.

By providing a fund of US$390,000 (£309,578) to the NWF, precious habitats and waterways in Norfolk, UK will be protected.

Donating US$540,000 (£428,652) to rivers in Croatia will see the protection and restoration of the Mrežnica, Tounjčica and Rječina Rivers. 

The remaining US$160,000 (£126,986) will be given to the Prater’s Mill Dam channel realignment project in Georgia, USA.

“The UK is home to globally important chalk streams and wetlands including the River Cam, Wensum and Norfolk Broads that the donation to The Nature Conservancy will support over the next two years,” Wouter explains.

“Furthermore, vital restoration at Prater’s Mill Dam, Georgia, USA and the Mrežnica, Tounjčica and Rječina rivers in Croatia will benefit both the natural environment and ensure communities have healthy freshwater ecosystems.”

Sustainability in Norfolk

TNC co-founded the Norfolk Water Fund, a partnership that seeks to address water challenges impacting wildlife and people by restoring and mimicking natural processes through Nature based Solutions (NbS). 

In the UK, a key goal for TNC is to support one of the country’s driest regions – Norfolk.

Norfolk is important for chalk streams like the River Wensum as well as fragile wetlands like the Norfolk Broads National Park.

These precious habitats are suffering degradation from water over use, pollution and physical damage, exaggerated by climate change and population growth – with no conventional infrastructure solutions fully mitigating these impacts.

By adopting NbS’, economic benefits are unlocked, allowing for sustainable development and enhancing the income for farmers at a time of market uncertainty.

“Our work in Norfolk is part of TNC’s global efforts to demonstrate the role that nature restoration can play in improving water security for people and wildlife,” says Rob Cunningham, Europe Resilient Watersheds Program Director for TNC.

“This support from DS Smith will enable us to continue to protect vital habitats suffering from water over use and pollution while unlocking economic benefits for the community.”

The support from DS Smith will continue to build a pipeline of NbS projects that benefit wildlife, communities and landowners and lay the foundation for much wider adoption of NbS at a regional scale.

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