Coca-Cola Europacific Partners: site in Wilrijk

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Belgium (CCEP) has opened a new 14,500 m² nature park next to its production and distribution site in Wilrijk. The park, which was created in collaboration with Natuurpunt, is more than just a green oasis: it forms an essential part of Coca-Cola’s long-term vision for sustainable water management and biodiversity restoration.
The nature park includes a pond, infiltration ditches and a wadi. These elements ensure that rainwater from the site is collected and can infiltrate back into the soil in a natural way. In this way, the park contributes to local groundwater replenishment in a region that suffers from structural water scarcity.
With this investment, Coca-Cola aims to actively limit its impact on local water sources while contributing to the restoration of natural ecosystems. Since 2010, the company has already reduced its water consumption by an average of 12% per litre of beverage produced at its three Belgian production sites, partly by focusing on water-saving technologies and water reuse. The construction of a stormwater buffer and the nature park in Wilrijk reinforce these efforts by cleverly collecting rainwater and returning it to nature.
With this project, Coca-Cola aims to demonstrate that economic activity and ecological restoration can go hand in hand. We invest not only in our production, but also in the environment in which we operate. Thanks to the expertise of Natuurpunt, the park was landscaped with native vegetation, which enhances biodiversity in the region. The park is freely accessible to local residents and employees of surrounding companies, allowing them to enjoy a piece of greenery in an industrial environment.
More information about Coca-Cola’s water strategy and nature restoration projects can be found on the website linked above.

Nature-based solutions

• Use nature/natural processes that support biodiversity to address the challenges related to climate change, water management (including flood management) and land degradation;
• Have respect for and/or improve the specific environmental and ecological characteristics of the area (e.g. the topography, the type of landscape, the local plant and animal life, …);
• Incorporate those natural processes into the surrounding area and environment;
• Implement those natural processes in a way that is consistent with other actions undertaken to address these challenges (e.g. rehabilitate native plant species around water amenities that are set up to improve water management, …);
• Strengthen ecological connectivity between nature-based solutions and surrounding natural areas.

Urban and peri-urban areas

• Set up a biodiversity-friendly management system (e.g. rewilding, reduced mowing of parks, gardens, talus, ponds, no chemicals);
• As much naturalness as possible/as little alteration as possible of the initial landscape (landscape, quality of water, of soil, …);
• Use native species/subspecies that are more resilient and resistant to climate change, if appropriate.

The management of the nature park is ensured through a management plan drawn up by Natuurpunt. Based on an extensive biodiversity scan of the area, native vegetation and targeted planting were chosen to strengthen the local nature. The management plan is tailored to this and combines active maintenance with “zero management” zones, where nature is allowed to develop independently without human intervention. This approach ensures a resilient ecosystem that can function sustainably in the long term.