Arizona Water Resource Vol. 19 No. 4 (Fall 2011)

Abstract

“It’s a promise to be a good citizen of the world, protecting the Earth’s natural resources through innovation and more efficient use of land, energy, water and packaging in our operations.” – PepsiCo, on their environmental sustainability promise Environmentalists and corporations have not always seen eye-to-eye on matters of how our natural resources should best be used. In fact, many people see corporate industry as inherently anti-environmental. However, without industry, we would not be able to enjoy many of the comforts of modern day living. Corporations have many responsibilities including: to gain profit for their investors, to keep costs low for their consumers, to use natural resources efficiently, and to maintain decent pay and working conditions for their employees. So, how should corporations balance these differing needs with protection of the natural environment? Many corporations now have developed multiple ways of creating this balance. These include water stewardship plans, partnerships between corporations and environmental groups that help both parties agree on a water management strategy, implementation of environmental best practices, and new ideas for the future of water accountability and transparency.