US: PepsiCo re-affirms water stewardship commitment

PepsiCo has marked the 17th anniversary of World Water Day by upping its commitment to responsible water stewardship.

The company said late last week that an agenda related to water consumption will roll out across its global organisations as part of its 'Performance with Purpose' initiative. The programme was initially introduced to "deliver shareholder value while leaving a positive imprint on society", PepsiCo said.

"We recognise the impact of our business on each community in which we operate, and likewise the impact of our communities on our business," said PepsiCo's chairman and CEO, Indra Nooyi. "We mark World Water Day, mindful of our collective responsibility to find even more ways to protect and ensure this limited resource."

The company said it will continue to focus on using water more efficiently within its own operations, by adopting new technologies, improving its production processes and raising awareness among associates and partners. PepsiCo is also committed to increasing access to clean water around the world, working with communities as well as non-profit, academic, scientific and industry organisations.

PepsiCo is aiming to reduce water consumption per unit of production by 20% by 2015, compared to 2006 consumption.

The company concluded by saying that it supports the United Nations CEO Water Mandate, an initiative which Heineken said today it had also signed up to.

World Water Day took place yesterday (22 March).