Nestle Waters North America Launches 2010 Corporate Citizenship Report on World Water Day

STAMFORD, Conn., March 22, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nestle Waters North America (NWNA) is pleased to announce the release of its 2010 Corporate Citizenship Report, available online at citizenshipreport.nestle-watersna.com. Published on World Water Day, the report underscores the company's enduring commitment to water through its own water management practices as well as advocating and educating for responsible water stewardship. As a demonstration of this commitment, Nestle Waters employees worldwide are mobilizing to increase youth awareness around water issues and inspire the water stewards of the future. Today, more than 10,000 students in 24 countries will participate today in water education activities sponsored by Nestle Waters.

"This report reflects how we are looking at both incremental steps and thinking bigger about ways we can continue to improve watershed management, minimize our environmental impact, and be a positive force in our communities," said Kim Jeffery, president and CEO of Nestle Waters North America. "I believe that our commitment to citizenship, sustainability and creating shared value will continue to drive innovation and progress throughout the company."

The report is organized around three focus areas – water, sustainability, and community. These represent the backbone of the company's approach to corporate citizenship and sustainability, and each is defined by an overarching principle. They are:

• Water: We believe clean, high quality water is critical to human and environmental health.
• Sustainability: We will drive toward light footprint products, minimal waste and using 100% renewable energy in manufacturing facilities as soon as economically viable.
• Community: We will be a positive force in local communities, providing long-term mutual value.  

"In developing our principles and future goals and targets, we focused on areas that are of greatest importance to our stakeholders, and we use our report as an opportunity to engage with – and learn from – our neighbors, colleagues, critics and customers," said Michael Washburn, director of Sustainability for Nestle Waters North America. "As an example, we engaged William McDonough, co-founder of the Cradle to Cradle® framework, to help us hone and better articulate our approach to sustainability and corporate citizenship."

The overarching principles are supported by nine goals and 17 performance targets. The 2010 report includes an update on the 28 goals NWNA established in its 2008 Corporate Citizenship Report. These goals covered a range of topics and, as of the end of 2010, NWNA had achieved 20 of the 28, and is on-track to achieve the remaining eight by the original target dates.

Creating Shared Value is a basic principle of NWNA's business strategy and a requirement for the long-term sustainability of its business. "We recognize the importance of creating value for a broad spectrum of stakeholders - from shareholders to customers, to employees and to society as a whole," said Washburn.

NWNA plans to publish a new report every two years to provide updates on progress. The 2012 report will be available in early 2013.

About Nestle Waters North America

Central to the leadership of Nestle Waters North America Inc. is its 35-year history and single-focus on producing bottled water products. The company's dedication to product quality, manufacturing expertise, efficient production, employee development and environmental stewardship, especially in the areas of water use, energy and packaging, has helped Nestle Waters become the number one bottled water company in the U.S. To reach success, the company follows its credo: Respect for each other, respect for the environment, and respect for the community. To learn more, visit www.nestlewatersnorthamerica.com.

SOURCE Nestle Waters North America