bottled water company Aqua was founded in 1973 by the late Tirto Utomo. When Utomo died suddenly in 1993, his family was faced with a difficult decision regarding the company. They approached the multinational Danone, who shared the same values and principles, and the merger was born in September 1998. We meet President Director of Danone AQUA, Charlie Capetti, a Dutch national who has been with Danone for 17 years , seven of which were in Indonesia.
You were with Danone for many years, sales manager in the Netherlands to the President Director in Indonesia. Tell us what your role at Danone AQUA implies today.
My role in AQUA is to work with my team on sustainability and short-term long-term business ambitions. We established a vision for this company and are constantly working with all the people here to deliver that vision. I see it as my job to create conditions for our employees thrive in AQUA and grow professionally. There is no one day is the same.
has been your experience as a lieutenant in the Royal Dutch Navy in 1990 had an impact on how you do business today?
After graduating from the University, I am a professor of economics at Royal Dutch Naval College. In those days the Netherlands, it was obligatory to serve your country. I learned values such as discipline, respect and not give up when you want to achieve something; the values that I consider relevant to effective leadership.
Your water comes from 13 sources and 18 factories in Indonesia. What makes your water safe? How is it treated?
We are very picky about choosing our springs and follow a strict criteria for selection. We carry out scientific research looking at the mineral content and other compositions that tell us if it meets the taste profile AQUA, which is influenced by the minerals. We look at the amount of water from the natural area without upsetting the balance of the water. Then we dig and see if we can find water, and we check to see how we can take. If the composition is not good, we stop.
We ensure that our water is fresh, good tasting, and compliance with health standards. We filter, of course, with a complex filter system, then apply the Ultra Violet light which kills micro bacteria. You can not drink water when it is on the line, but after a few hours, it is ready. The whole process is natural.
We will open the factory number 19 in April in southern Sumatra.
Danone AQUA is a publicly listed company. What are the projections for 2016
We are the largest water brand by volume in the world ?; about ten times the size of Evian.
The growth of our business comes primarily from two factors: population growth (1.5 percent per year) and the growth of the middle class. Households spend boiling water for sure, packaged water. In addition, modern trade has grown rapidly, especially in mini-markets that have helped us to grow exponentially. Therefore, the expected growth in the bottled water industry in Indonesia is about 10-12 percent annually.
You have about 2 million across Indonesia outlets. How is the managed distribution?
I do think that this is one of our main assets. We use 75 family distributors that were part of the company since the beginning. We have 220 in deposits that distribute wholesalers who then go to the warung and toko . 85 percent goes through this system, and the rest goes through mini-marts and supermarkets, made by our own distribution centers, we have 14 throughout Indonesia. How circulates the product is amazing spider.
We also have a unique distribution method called AQUA Home Service or AQUA Ladies', where we currently give over 7,000 women in Indonesia to sell AQUA their homes. We select opinion leaders and help them build a business selling drinking water, mainly gallon using the delivery boys on bikes.
We have an ambition throughout Indonesia, you should be able to find AQUA.
Danone AQUA has 12,500 employees in Indonesia. How your company provides personal and professional development?
I do not know where to start! We have very extensive training programs for all levels from operators to executives, leadership training and functional and very specific technical programs. We ensure the development of our people through four principles: 60 percent is on the job, classroom training 10 percent, 10 percent online / digital training, and 20 percent by networking. As a result, many of our people are generally long-term employees for whom work AQUA is a career instead of a job.
AQUA is committed to contribute proactively in this area through an ambitious WASH (water sanitation access and hygiene) program to improve the health of thousands of families across the 'Indonesia. water committees were formed and trained to design facilities, job tracking, and ensure proper long-term management. Three types of community groups are targeted: the surrounding villages AQUA plants, and remote villages in NTT and NTB through our "1L for 10L initiative. Currently, the WASH program provided benefits to over 130,000 people in 18 districts, and will continue to grow.
What makes AQUA Danone to reduce its impact on the environment, namely plastic waste through your CSR project AQUA Lestari? Are there any plans to go to scale in these efforts?
developed AQUA AQUA Peduli (plastic waste Recycling Program) in 1993 as a form of social responsibility for the management of plastic waste. Since 2010, 600 scavengers three cities - South Tangerang, Bandung, Denpasar -. Scavengers involved in our Empowerment Program (PEP) have been empowered to improve their quality of life through access to health care and increased recycling expertise
In Tangerang, we collect 80-90 tonnes plastic per month, which crashed into the machines and mainly exported to China for recycling. Each month this unit makes enough profit to pay Pemulung , hedging costs and make profits. This project is evolving and I would like to see it replicated in other cities.
The World Health Organization (WHO) does not consider bottled water improved or sustainable solution for access to water in Indonesia, and other similar countries. What would you say to that?
As a pioneer of the drinking water industry bottled Indonesia, AQUA permanently establishes the reference point for the application of innovative technologies to improve the process production and products. Packaging remains a challenge for the water sector in the bottle, but somehow the impact on the environment is limited by high recycling rates.
We have four pillars of AQUA Lestari program: Environment and water protection, green company, product distribution and community involvement and development. These pillars are made by the implementation of various social and environmental programs ranging from upstream (catchment), middle (AQUA water source area) to downstream.
Do you think it will be a day when the Indonesians have access to clean drinking water and free? And if so, what does this mean for your industry?
Yes, of course. I come from a country where I can drink tap water; it is a human right. We hope that one day the Indonesians also have that choice.
Until then, we consider it our duty to AQUA available as much as possible to provide as many Indonesians with healthy hydration option.
What are the principles that Danone AQUA holds dearest to his heart
At the heart of the rationale for AQUA is a very simple goal: to make available - the greatest number? as possible - healthy, clean and pure drinking water that is full of natural goodness essential to the long-term health. We want to do it in the most sustainable way; to ensure that everyone in our ecosystem can benefit from AQUA. We ensure that we do, we do other part of our history.