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Statement by Kristen Urquiza, Think Outside the Bottle spokesperson, at the Pepsi Shareholders Meeting
Good morning, and thank you for the opportunity to speak here today. My name is Kristin Urquiza. I am with Corporate Accountability International’s Think Outside the Bottle campaign.
At last year’s shareholder meeting, we acknowledged PepsiCo’s first step in responding to the concerns of tens of thousands of customers who are actively engaged with the Think Outside the Bottle campaign. Pepsi’s change of the Aquafina label to include “Public Water Source” has provided consumers with more information about the bottled water they are buying. As Aquafina is a leading national brand, Pepsi’s leadership on this issue has had an impact on the entire industry, setting the stage for Nestlé to add Public Water Source to the labels of its Pure Life brand and increasing pressure on Coke to do the same.
Your shareholders, the public and our members recognize this action as a positive first step in addressing the concerns surrounding PepsiCo’s water practices. There is still progress to be made.
Through Think Outside the Bottle, tens of thousands of people are calling on Pepsi to take another concrete step, and publicly share more information on quality testing results for its Aquafina brand, comparable to reports by public water systems. This is a central concern for the Think Outside the Bottle campaign, and Pepsi lags behind other major bottled water corporations in this area.
Today, Pepsi will be adopting corporate guidelines on the right to water. We appreciate the efforts of advocates such as NorthStar Asset Management and Unitarian Universalist Service Committee to develop these guidelines. In the end, Corporate Accountability International and our members believe that human rights should be advanced and protected by democratic institutions, so as we pressure water corporations to change their practices, we must guard against attempts by industry to usurp the lead role in this arena.
We also believe that corporations need to change specific practices regarding water, and these guidelines are a clear sign that Pepsi is feeling pressure on water issues and is reacting, and it has some promise. Ultimately its impact will be determined by the specific changes in practice that Pepsi makes.
As Pepsi positions itself as responsive and a leader on water issues, it must not undermine the ability of democratic institutions to set and implement public policies on water, public health, environmental or human rights issues. Pepsi’s track record on this front is spotty. For example, last summer, when more than 1,000 mayors resolved to cut city bottled water budgets to reduce waste and promote tap water, Pepsi’s trade association lobbied aggressively against the resolution. Actions speak louder than guidelines, and so now more than ever the world will be watching.
Our members recognize the positive step you have taken in changing your Aquafina labels. But why does your corporation refuse to provide its customers with water quality information equivalent to what our public water systems provide its customers? What does Pepsi have to hide?
Good morning, and thank you for the opportunity to speak here today. My name is Kristin Urquiza. I am with Corporate Accountability International’s Think Outside the Bottle campaign.
At last year’s shareholder meeting, we acknowledged PepsiCo’s first step in responding to the concerns of tens of thousands of customers who are actively engaged with the Think Outside the Bottle campaign. Pepsi’s change of the Aquafina label to include “Public Water Source” has provided consumers with more information about the bottled water they are buying. As Aquafina is a leading national brand, Pepsi’s leadership on this issue has had an impact on the entire industry, setting the stage for Nestlé to add Public Water Source to the labels of its Pure Life brand and increasing pressure on Coke to do the same.
Your shareholders, the public and our members recognize this action as a positive first step in addressing the concerns surrounding PepsiCo’s water practices. There is still progress to be made.
Through Think Outside the Bottle, tens of thousands of people are calling on Pepsi to take another concrete step, and publicly share more information on quality testing results for its Aquafina brand, comparable to reports by public water systems. This is a central concern for the Think Outside the Bottle campaign, and Pepsi lags behind other major bottled water corporations in this area.
Today, Pepsi will be adopting corporate guidelines on the right to water. We appreciate the efforts of advocates such as NorthStar Asset Management and Unitarian Universalist Service Committee to develop these guidelines. In the end, Corporate Accountability International and our members believe that human rights should be advanced and protected by democratic institutions, so as we pressure water corporations to change their practices, we must guard against attempts by industry to usurp the lead role in this arena.
We also believe that corporations need to change specific practices regarding water, and these guidelines are a clear sign that Pepsi is feeling pressure on water issues and is reacting, and it has some promise. Ultimately its impact will be determined by the specific changes in practice that Pepsi makes.
As Pepsi positions itself as responsive and a leader on water issues, it must not undermine the ability of democratic institutions to set and implement public policies on water, public health, environmental or human rights issues. Pepsi’s track record on this front is spotty. For example, last summer, when more than 1,000 mayors resolved to cut city bottled water budgets to reduce waste and promote tap water, Pepsi’s trade association lobbied aggressively against the resolution. Actions speak louder than guidelines, and so now more than ever the world will be watching.
Our members recognize the positive step you have taken in changing your Aquafina labels. But why does your corporation refuse to provide its customers with water quality information equivalent to what our public water systems provide its customers? What does Pepsi have to hide?
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