PepsiCo India’s vision to champion water sustainability 

Guided by PepsiCo Positive, PepsiCo India aims at supporting water security for its business, natural ecosystems, and local communities by improving water use efficiency in operations, providing safe water access to people, replenishing more than 100% of water used and adopting the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) standard in high water-risk areas where PepsiCo operates.

With a vision to become net water-positive by 2030, PepsiCo India’s water initiatives aim to drive positive change and exemplify the company’s commitment to sustainability, environmental responsibility, and community empowerment. Keeping these efforts in mind, PepsiCo India along with its partners has undertaken the following initiatives across locations in the country:

Sustainable Water Resource Development and Management (SWRDM) program:

Developed in collaboration with Alternative Development Initiatives (ADI), the SWRDM program focuses on enabling groundwater recharge by employing geo-hydrological considerations at the watershed level. 

By intensifying groundwater recharge initiatives annually in regions like Sangrur (Punjab), Pune (Maharashtra), and Mathura (Uttar Pradesh), PepsiCo India has reinforced its commitment to environmental stewardship.

Notably, the SWRDM program has positively impacted over 70,000 individuals and created the potential for 1,000 million liters of groundwater recharge through the construction of 33 rainwater harvesting structures, the company said.

Safe Water Access Program

PepsiCo Foundation is committed to providing safe water access to over 100 million people worldwide by 2030, out of which 68 million have already been covered through various partnerships with NGOs and multilateral agencies. Out of these 27 million beneficiaries come from India, through partnerships with organizations like Water Aid and Force Trust.

PepsiCo Foundation says it has facilitated well restoration, rainwater harvesting in schools and piped water supply systems to homes, benefitting over 200,000 people, through a multi-year investment in South India (Palakkad, Nelamangala and Sri City).

It says it has positively impacted the lives of 200,000 farmers, families, and communities across Maharashtra and West Bengal through the partnership with WaterAid.

Furthermore, the partnership with Pandit Jagat Ram Memorial Force Trust aims to impact 20,000 people and 3,000 children in Uttar Pradesh.

‘Fryer Vapour to Water’ project:

PepsiCo India has embarked on an innovative project- the ‘Fryer Vapour to Water’. About 80% of water inherent to the potatoes is released as vapor during chips frying through the stack of the fryer. The fryer vapor-to-water treatment technology captures and condenses the steam and removes fats, oils, and grease. Water generated through this process is used for PC processing, and it can be reused to wash, peel, or slice new potatoes as they arrive from the farm. The project aims to recover over 50% of water used in potato chip manufacturing plants in West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.

Yashika Singh, head of corporate affairs communication and sustainability, PepsiCo India said, “Driven by our vision of PepsiCo Positive, we are making significant strides towards water stewardship and sustainability at PepsiCo India. As we celebrate World Water Day, we take pride in our continuous efforts that extend beyond conservation to actively replenishing water sources, adopting sustainable practices, and empowering communities. Through initiatives like the Sustainable Water Resource Development and Management and Safe Water Access programs, in collaboration with Alternative Development Initiatives, WaterAid & Pandit Jagat Ram Memorial Force Trust respectively, we’ve positively impacted lives and ecosystems across regions like Punjab, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. As we march towards our goal of becoming net water-positive by 2030, we remain steadfast in our mission, touching the lives of communities, wherever we go.”