Over the last five years the amount of litter found on UK beaches has continued to rise dramatically. According to the Marine Conservation Society, there was a 6.4% increase in the amount of rubbish found on the coast in 2014 in comparison with 2013.
This equates to the colossal figure of 2,457 pieces of rubbish per kilometre.
Figures such as these demonstrate that coastal littering is a significant environmental challenge and it's becoming increasingly apparent we need to work together to tackle this head-on.
At AB InBev we strive to minimise our environmental impact, and are proud to have met our most recent three-year Global Environmental Goals on water, energy, carbon emissions and recycling.
Our efforts are ongoing, and we are now working tirelessly to continue this progress. We have already achieved two of our goals from our next plan early, including reducing the amount of water needed to produce our products, without compromising the quality our consumers know and love.
To reduce the potential negative environmental impact from our products, we place a strong focus on recycling. In addition our next five-year plan includes the ambition to reduce packaging materials by 100,000 tons, a target we are well on our way towards hitting.
We also work hard to give back to the communities in which we live and work. We actively encourage our colleagues to get involved in our volunteering activities.
In order to maximise the impact of such activities, we have partnered with local environmental charities such as Keep Wales Tidy and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust.
Through these partnerships, we will be today be marking World Environment Day around the UK, helping to clean the Monmouthshire foreshore near our Magor brewery, and to build a new footpath for the local community to enjoy at Brockholes Nature Reserve, near our Samlesbury site.
We're proud that our staff choose to get involved in these activities, and delighted that AB InBev can help to actively protect the environment for future generations.
Our global brand, Corona, is synonymous with the beach and this summer the Corona SunRise 'Save the Beach' programme will once again focus on the care of beaches and coasts around the world.
To coincide with World Environment Day 2015, one of our teams will also today be continuing our celebrations by cleaning up one of the UK's most popular beaches in Brighton as part of Corona's Save the Beach efforts.
As a global business it is our responsibility to help protect the environment, and we are proud to be the beer industry leader in social responsibility.
We hope you'll join us today in celebrating World Environment Day by taking small but consistent steps to reduce your environmental footprint. Through our actions, from recycling household waste to turning off the tap, we can begin to see real change and ensure our environment can continue to be enjoyed by generations to come.