In the face of the problem of water demand across the world, which is estimated to increase by approximately 50% by the year 2050, businesses may need to ramp up efforts to fill the growing gaps in different water supplies. PepsiCo’s safe water program, a sustainability effort that provides safe drinking water to water-stressed areas, is expanding its scope to provide supplies for 16 million people across the world. The company’s end goal is to provide supplies for 25 million people worldwide by 2025.
“At PepsiCo, we believe water is a fundamental human right and that access to safe water is one of the most urgent global challenges,” said Roberta Barbieri, vice president of global sustainability for PepsiCo. “As part of our Performance with Purpose agenda, we have created a holistic global water strategy. Our efforts are designed to enable long-term, sustainable water security for our business and others who depend on water availability. Our work to provide safe water access in the world’s most at-water-risk areas is a key part of this strategy.”
In order to achieve the desired effects of the effort, the company has partnered with a variety of NGOs including the Safe Water Network, Water.org, WaterAid, China Women’s Development Foundation, Nature Conservancy and others in order to help its target communities more effectively manage their water resources on top of the resources the company and these organizations are providing.
This information all comes courtesy of the company’s recently released Sustainability Report, which outlines its various efforts in the area of sustainability. Beyond the aforementioned efforts, PepsiCo is also moving towards requiring all its farming suppliers to meet the standards of its Sustainable Farming Program. The company also hopes to cut back on its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by the year 2030, while 85% of its packaging is currently recyclable, compostable or biodegradable.