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PepsiCo announced a milestone, achieving its 2025 global goal of a 25% improvement in operational water-use efficiency in regions facing high water risks, two years ahead of its projected timeline. This achievement underscores the company’s commitment to responsible water stewardship and aligns with its broader sustainability strategy, pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). PepsiCo has ranked on the 2023 CDP A List for exemplary corporate transparency and performance in water security, placing it in the top 0.5% of the 21,000 companies assessed by CDP.
Achieving Water Efficiency Goals Ahead of Time
Under the banner of its pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) transformation, PepsiCo’s achievement in water efficiency is a testament to its strategic approach to sustainability. Jim Andrew, PepsiCo’s Chief Sustainability Officer, highlighted, “Water is a fundamental human right, and yet water insecurity remains a significant global challenge with billions of people lacking access to safe water. That’s why good water stewardship is so important and has long been a priority for PepsiCo and the communities we serve. Our vision is that wherever in the world we operate, water resources will be in a better state than before we arrived. And while we’re proud to have achieved this goal in high water-risk areas two years early, we will continue our unyielding focus on meeting our 2030 ambitions.”
Recognition for Water Stewardship and Security
PepsiCo’s inclusion in the 2023 CDP A List for water security is a notable recognition of its leadership and transparency. The company’s proactive measures and achievements serve as a benchmark for corporate responsibility in addressing global water challenges, reflecting PepsiCo’s successful implementation of innovative practices and technologies to conserve water across its international operations, particularly in areas most at risk of water scarcity.
Future Goals: Towards Net Water Positivity
PepsiCo’s aspirations go beyond improving water-use efficiency; the company aims to achieve net water positivity by 2030. This ambitious goal involves restoring more water to the environment and communities than the company uses, addressing the quantity and quality of water returned. PepsiCo’s commitment to water positivity is a crucial component of its pep+ strategy, focusing on sustainability and human capital as core pillars of its business transformation.
Innovations and Initiatives Driving Success
PepsiCo’s progress towards its water stewardship goals can be attributed to several key initiatives and innovative technologies. Notably, the company has implemented a novel approach to washing corn used for popular snack products, saving volumes of water across more than 100 global manufacturing lines. Additionally, the adoption of membrane bioreactor technology at numerous sites has enabled process water purification to drinking standards, reducing freshwater demand. Another technique involves harnessing steam water from potatoes during cooking and converting it into drinkable water to support manufacturing processes, exemplifying PepsiCo’s inventive approaches to water conservation in its factories worldwide.
