- PepsiCo replenished nearly 29 billion liters of water in 2025, matching 100% of usage in high-risk watersheds
- Full adoption of the Alliance for Water Stewardship standard across all high water-risk manufacturing sites globally
- Moves position the company toward 2030 Net Water Positive goals and expanded watershed responsibility across operations
PepsiCo has reached two major water sustainability targets ahead of its 2025 deadline, completing full water replenishment across high-risk watersheds and adopting a global water stewardship framework across all company owned facilities in those regions.
The milestone, announced ahead of World Water Day, places the company among a small group of multinationals aligning operational water use with basin-level sustainability requirements. It also reflects a growing expectation from investors and regulators that corporate water strategies extend beyond efficiency to ecosystem restoration and community resilience.
Scaling Water Replenishment Through Local Projects
PepsiCo’s replenishment strategy is built on localized, nature based interventions designed to restore watershed health while addressing regional water stress.
In 2025 alone, more than 60 projects contributed to replenishing nearly 29 billion liters of water. These initiatives span multiple geographies and combine conservation, infrastructure upgrades, and agricultural interventions.
In Colorado, PepsiCo is supporting the Windy Gap Connectivity Project, which reconnects fragmented sections of the Colorado River to restore natural flow patterns and strengthen water supply reliability for the Denver region. The initiative delivered more than 1.3 billion liters in replenishment.
In the Dominican Republic, the company partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to implement agroforestry systems in the Ozama River Basin, reducing erosion and improving groundwater retention. The project returned over 177 million liters.
Egypt’s Nile watershed program, delivered in partnership with CARE, focuses on irrigation efficiency and farmer training. The initiative not only conserved water but also improved crop yields and household resilience, contributing more than 725 million liters in replenishment.
Additional projects in Spain and Türkiye targeted riverbank restoration and irrigation modernization, reinforcing the company’s strategy of combining environmental and economic outcomes.
Embedding Governance Through AWS Standards
Alongside replenishment, PepsiCo has completed adoption of the Alliance for Water Stewardship standard across all company-owned manufacturing facilities in high water-risk areas.
The AWS framework provides a structured approach to managing water risks, requiring companies to assess basin-level conditions, engage stakeholders, and implement site-specific improvements.
“Water is foundational to our business and the communities where we operate,” said Jim Andrew, Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo. “Reaching these goals shows what is possible when business strategy, local expertise, and global partnerships come together. This is pep+ in action: delivering real impact for people and ecosystems while building long-term business resilience.”
The adoption process has been driven by cross-functional teams within PepsiCo, integrating operational decision-making with local water risk assessments. This aligns with broader governance trends where sustainability performance is increasingly embedded into core business operations rather than treated as a separate function.
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Strategic Implications for Investors and Operators
For executives and investors, the announcement highlights a shift in how water risk is managed across global supply chains.
Water scarcity is emerging as a material financial risk, particularly in agriculture-dependent sectors. By aligning replenishment efforts with production footprints and adopting globally recognized standards, PepsiCo reduces exposure to supply disruptions, regulatory constraints, and reputational risk.
“Water is a fundamental human right, and yet water scarcity remains a significant global challenge, affecting millions around the world,” said Roberta Barbieri, Global Vice President, Sustainability – Climate and Water, PepsiCo. “We aim to lead in responsible water stewardship, and we’re proud of what we’ve accomplished so far. But the work doesn’t stop here. As we look ahead to 2030, we’ll continue striving toward our ambitions — to be Net Water Positive and to live up to our vision that wherever we operate, water resources are more sustainable and more resilient because of our presence.”
Looking Ahead to 2030 Targets
With its 2025 water goals now complete, PepsiCo is shifting focus to more expansive 2030 targets.
These include extending replenishment commitments to franchise bottling operations, improving water-use efficiency across both beverage and food production, and reaching 100 million people with access to safe water.
The next phase also deepens the link between water stewardship and broader ESG priorities, including climate resilience and regenerative agriculture.
For global corporations, the direction is clear. Water is no longer a compliance issue or a corporate social responsibility add-on. It is a core operational risk and a strategic lever for long-term value creation.
PepsiCo’s latest milestone demonstrates how companies can align environmental performance with business resilience while responding to rising expectations from regulators, investors, and communities worldwide.
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