PepsiCo achieves safe water access goal to reach 25 million people

The PepsiCo Foundation announced the expansion of its water initiatives in India, to provide safe water access to 2,00,000 people in the communities in Maharashtra and West Bengal. As part of The PepsiCo Foundation’s new commitment to reach 100 million people with safe water access worldwide by 2030. The Foundation will invest US $3 million with WaterAid to provide safe water access to agricultural communities and help women in high water-risk areas in West Bengal and Maharashtra. This program aims to provide 200,000 farmers and their families access to piped water supply for household use, increased water resources, and will establish community-managed water distribution systems in these communities.

This investment by the Foundation is in line with Govt. of India’s Jal Jeevan Mission, which aims to provide functional household tap connections to every rural household by 2024.

In addition to the fresh infusion of US $3 million, The PepsiCo Foundation also announced that they have helped more than 44 million people gain access to safe water since 2006, far surpassing the company’s goal to support 25 million people worldwide by 2025. To achieve this, The PepsiCo Foundation has invested more than US $46 million since 2005 as a founding partner or early investor in programs with partners like Safe Water Network, Water.org, WaterAid, and many other NGOs and multilateral agencies worldwide.

Believing that access to water is a human right, PepsiCo’s safe water access work focuses on distribution, purification and conservation programs in support of Sustainable Development Goal #6 to ensure the availability and sustainable management of clean water and sanitation for all. One such program of PepsiCo is with WaterAid focusing on restoring wells, harvesting rainwater in schools and building piped water supply systems in Southern India, which has helped more than 70,000 people in Palakkad, Nelamangala and Sri City since November 2017.

Together, PepsiCo and WaterAid are focusing on implementing solutions that will help increase access to clean water; build community and government capacity to manage water resources including regular water quality testing, conduct training for operation and maintenance; and educate community members to adopt sustainable sanitation and hygiene practices. These solutions aim to improve water security for these communities and promote water conservation and recharge measures, including rainwater harvesting.

Speaking on the water initiatives in India, Ahmed ElSheikh, president, PepsiCo India, said, “PepsiCo truly understands the need for clean and safe water access to every individual on this planet. As part of our company’s Winning with Purpose vision, we have been working towards helping communities effectively conserve, manage, and distribute water for more than a decade. In India, we work on several programs that focus on water replenishment, rainwater harvesting and water supply infrastructure. Our partnership with WaterAid helps us to improve our water security for communities in India.”

V K Madhavan, chief executive officer, from WaterAid India, said, “The effort to provide clean and safe water access to various communities across the globe demands people and organizations to collaborate and work together as one team. We have been closely working with PepsiCo India to provide long-term access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene to communities in three locations in southern India. We see a synergy between their commitment and efforts to provide safe water and our work. With the support of PepsiCo India and the additional grant, we look forward to creating a positive impact on the lives of many more people in vulnerable communities.”