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Meet our panel
24 August, 2009 
Importing goods, exporting drought?
With the global population rapidly increasing, the scale of our global water consumption is having a dramatic impact around the world. There is a hidden cost of what we eat, drink and consume, from coffee to t-shirts, food to computers. We consume far more water to support our lifestyles than most of us imagine.
Is it time we start thinking about our virtual water footprint?
Recent News articles 60 second guides to issues of virtual water
MEET THE PANEL
George Alagiah (Chair) is the presenter of the BBC Six O'Clock News. He first started on the programme in January 2003. George also presents World News Today on BBC World News, the BBC's international news channel.
In a new BBC series, 'The Future of Food', George investigates the growing global food crisis that could affect the planet in the years ahead, discovering what is wrong with people's diets, and uncovers that the UK imports an average of 3000 litres of 'virtual water' per capita every day.
Before going behind the studio desk, George Alagiah was one of the BBC's leading foreign correspondents, recognised throughout the industry for his reporting on some of the most significant events of the last decade.
Highlights of his reporting and presenting from abroad include live news programmes from the South Africa/Zimbabwe border, from Sri Lanka following the Asian tsunami, from New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and from Pakistan following the south Asian earthquake.
Read about 'The Future of Food' series on BBC2
Andy Wales, Head of Sustainability at SABMiller (speaker).
SABMiller, one of the world’s largest brewers, has brewing interests and distribution agreements across six continents. The company's portfolio of brands includes international beers such as Pilsner, Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Miller Genuine Draft and Grolsch.
The company are currently working to be more efficient in their water use and engaging with suppliers. This will help them to not only cut costs, reduce risks but be of benefit local communities. In November 2008, SABMiller announced a commitment to reduce water consumption across their global business. The target is to cut the amount of water used by 25% by 2015. The strategy is built round the '5R' model of water responsibility: pRotect, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Redistribute.
SABMiller and WWF jointly publish a report analysing water use in the beer value chain.
More on SABMiller's Sustainable Development Read the SABMiller / WWF water footprint report
Robin Farrington, WWF (Speaker) Robin primarily focuses on engaging the private sector on global water issues.
His work aims to mobilise companies to reduce the impacts of their water footprints on water stressed ecosystems around the world, and to build a compelling business case for the private sector, governments and other stakeholders to tackle shared water-related risks.