PepsiCo celebrates water stewardship efforts by achieving the AWS standard at its production plant in the Dominican Republic

• On World Water Day, PepsiCo reaffirms its firm commitment to operating sustainably to protect this vital resource under its PepsiCo Positive vision.

Dominican Republic, 22 March 2024. For PepsiCo, a global leader in beverages and convenient foods, caring for water is not only a commitment but also part of its vision of “Winning with PepsiCo Positive”, the cross-cutting sustainability strategy that seeks to ensure a positive impact for people and the planet in all of the company’s actions. When it comes to water, the company constantly strives to do better through three major commitments in the countries where it operates:

1. Reduce and recirculate water use within its operations

2. Replenish aquifers in areas of high water consumption

3. Promote safe access to water for the communities that need it most

This World Water Day, the company is celebrating some innovative initiatives by its associates that have made a difference and shown that the commitment to caring for water includes every possible action, from the most everyday measures to major investment projects.

· In the Dominican Republic, a team of 6 people from the supply chain proposed installing a rainwater harvesting system to reuse the water for washing trucks. The system has been so effective that it has already been installed at 3 sales branches thanks to the proposal by José, Leodis, Víctor, Yeury, Iván and Raulín. “I think implementing the project was important, because it lets us reuse this precious resource and avoid wasting it.” José Matos.

· In Guatemala, Adelaida, from the plantain production line, proposed controlling consumption in the raw material washing unit, which has reduced the number of gallons used in the process sixfold. “For me it is very important to have implemented this control on the washer, because we are not only caring for water in production at our San Juan plant, but also caring for the present and future of our children.” Adelaida.

· In Puerto Rico, the maintenance team proposed a plan to fix leaks at the Barceloneta plant, motivated by the importance of caring for water. Thanks to the work of Cristian, Eric, Jhon, Raonel, Zoriluz, Yamir, Carlos and José, a preventive culture has taken hold so that all colleagues can identify and flag potential leaks. “This action reflects our commitment to caring for water not only for the present, but for our future generations.” Carlos.

These projects driven by employees in the region are part of the multiplier effect that PepsiCo’s vision has had on resource stewardship. In addition to these everyday efforts that protect water drop by drop, the company today presents the progress of its comprehensive water strategy, including:

a) The Caribe Plant in the Dominican Republic has adhered to the international AWS standard for sustainable water management (Alliance for Water Stewardship), which allows an average of 80% of the water used in the operation to be reused.

b) In 2023 the company replenished 341.2 million litres through the “Water for the Planet” programme, together with its partners The Nature Conservancy in Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. The programme protects 454 hectares and directly benefits 578 people. To complement the replenishment work, more than 185 PepsiCo volunteers took part in 5 reforestation activities to “sow water” at high-consumption sites in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Panama, Costa Rica and Honduras.

c) In Guatemala, through the IDB AquaFund programme, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank, the PepsiCo Foundation and Action Against Hunger, they promoted access to water and sanitation, benefiting more than 23,000 people in 4 communities of Santa Lucía Utatlán in Sololá.

The company will remain focused on implementing initiatives to save water and use water resources efficiently, while continuing to invest in the talent, creativity and innovation of its associates to be an agent of change across its value chain in Central America and the Caribbean.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. In 2022, the company generated more than $86 billion in net revenue, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker and SodaStream, iconic brands that each generate more than $1 billion in estimated annual retail sales.

PepsiCo is guided by its vision to be the global leader in beverages and convenient foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive (pep+). pep+ is a strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the centre of how it will create growth and value by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for people and the planet. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com and follow @PepsiCo on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.