by Liese Dallbauman and Dan Bena
Image from positive water impact pilot site in Mexico City - Xico Lake
We are proud to announce that PepsiCo and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have just finished the first phase of a joint Positive Water Impact study. By Positive Water Impact, we mean making more and better water available to the environment and the communities where we and our suppliers operate. The focus is local, at the watershed level. For a global company like PepsiCo it means coming up with solutions for every area where we operate, from our bottling facility in Zhanjiang, China to our snack and beverage plants in Mexico City.
For the past year, we’ve been pleased to work with TNC – an organization known for its scientific rigor and expertise in freshwater conservation – to assess local watershed conditions and restoration opportunities in five pilot locations: one each in the United States, United Kingdom, India, China and Mexico.
In a joint effort with TNC, we’ve compiled the study’s initial findings in a report called “Striving for Positive Water Impact,” which we will release today at Stockholm International Water Institute’s (SIWI) World Water Week – the world’s premier global water conference attended by thousands of experts from scientific, business, policy and civil society communities.
Today at World Water Week, Dr. Upmanu Lall of the Columbia University Water Center will host a discussion of our pilot methodology and approach for some of the world’s most esteemed water experts. Liese and Brian Richter of TNC will join Dr. Lall as the main panelists of this event – our first-ever stakeholder dialogue focused solely on water. We encourage you to read the full report and details about each of the pilots: http://pepsico.com/Download/PEP_WaterReport11_Nar_mech13.pdf.
Although the local nature of water means that we can’t expect a single solution to make sense in every watershed where we operate, the pilot has helped us understand what will need to be done to identify locally relevant strategies across the PepsiCo spectrum. It also provides best practices and lessons for other organizations seeking to achieve positive water impact.
We have had outstanding on-the-ground support from the business units and plants in the pilot watersheds and we thank them for helping us succeed. Partnerships with organizations like TNC help us to advance our Promise of PepsiCo commitments to conserve and replenish water in our operations and expand access to clean water around the globe.
