We are determined to do the right thing for the business and the right thing for the planet.
Our world is facing a critical stress test when it comes to the real impacts of climate change, which of course include threats to the world's water resources. With scientists predicting that almost half of all watersheds will reach their limit by 2050, Nestlé is acting to address this challenge by thinking globally, collaborating locally, and charting a fresh path of trust and transparency.
Today, we are taking a major step forward with new commitments that will reflect our role as a guardian of the water resources in our communities: We will lead the regeneration of the water cycle to help create a positive water impact everywhere we operate by 2025. Our pledge to make a positive water impact builds on Nestlé's recent work—including our plan to certify all Nestlé Waters factories to Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) certification by 2025—to contribute to real and meaningful change not just for now, but for our shared future.
Our new commitments will reflect our role as a guardian of the water resources in our communities
Over the past 18 months, we have made some critical progress in our approach to investing in the water business. Recent divestments and acquisitions will allow us to refocus our business so that it is both sustainable and helps us grow. But more than that, we are taking bold new steps on how we engage in sustainability work wherever we operate. Yes, we are a global company, but we believe unique local solutions must drive our path forward. Here's how Nestlé Waters is thinking about, and acting upon, these urgent needs:
Local solutions, local partners
Nestlé is collaborating with the communities and local stakeholders wherever we operate to create sustainable solutions. This begins by asking and answering questions—and by connecting with and learning from the people who call these places home. Our efforts are already producing positive impact, from Vittel's river restoration and renaturation work in Vosges, France, to Nestlé Pure Life's project supporting farmers who are implementing drip irrigation in Sheikhapura, Pakistan, to Buxton's work supporting natural flood management interventions in Derbyshire, UK. This suite of work shares a common goal of water sustainability, even if the solutions are not one-size-fits-all. This is how meaningful, locally-driven progress happens.
Transparency and accountability
We understand that, especially today, large businesses like Nestlé are often viewed with skepticism when it comes to efforts like these. That's one of the many reasons why we think it's important to provide a transparent measurement of our sustainability actions. Nestlé is committed to embracing and implementing global environmental standards to do business the right, sustainable way. We have incorporated external peer review methodology to assess and gauge our water stewardship.
And on planned projects, we are committed to receiving guidance and improving along the way. We'll provide full project details early in the planning process and receive feedback from experts in civil society, UN agencies, NGOs and academic partners. The panelists providing feedback include The Nature Conservancy, Global World Challenge and CEO Water Mandate, among many others. The feedback we receive is an opportunity to learn, to improve and to grow. Nestlé welcomes the challenges we might receive and is ready to adapt along the way.
Commitment to lead
Nestlé understands our unique role in advancing global solutions. What we do matters, as we have the scale and reach to drive positive impact. Even so, our actions alone—no matter how ambitious or far-reaching—will not solve the global water crisis. This is why it's critically important that we do all we can, where we operate, to support sustainable operations. In doing so, we are committed to working with others to establish the possibilities of business as a force for good.
Our commitment to make a positive water impact is a significant step forward as Nestlé looks to lead by example, with the ultimate goal of serving a greater good as a global leader in water sustainabilityMuriel
Our commitment to make a positive water impact is a significant step forward as Nestlé looks to lead by example, with the ultimate goal of serving a greater good as a global leader in water sustainability. With more than 100 water conservation projects across our sites, our impact can create an expanding ripple effect through local ecosystems and improve the availability of clean water.
Finally, I think it's important to establish that what's right for the planet and what's right for Nestlé's business are not in conflict. In fact, Nestlé Waters is embracing these commitments—in the same way our company supports sustainable packaging and carbon neutrality, for instance—because it's the right thing to do and is essential for our business in the long term. These water commitments build on the bold and broad global environmental commitments Nestlé made in 2020.
This is, indeed, a journey, and though we're on our way, we know we have a long way to go.
