Nestlé achieves 100% AWS certification across bottling sites, advancing global water stewardship strategy
Nestlé Waters & Premium Beverages secures full AWS certification, advancing water stewardship and scaling regeneration projects to strengthen resilience amid rising global water challenges.
FRANCE – Nestlé Waters & Premium Beverages (NW&PB) has become the first food and beverage company to secure 100% certification of all 39 of its bottling sites under the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Standard.
The milestone, announced ahead of World Water Day, positions water governance as a central component of corporate risk management as climate volatility increases pressure on global freshwater systems.
Two facilities, Buxton in the United Kingdom and Tunuyan in Argentina, achieved Platinum certification, the highest level within the AWS framework.
The certification covers operations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, South America and Asia, reflecting a multi-regional approach aligned with growing regulatory scrutiny and investor expectations around sustainability and climate resilience.
Muriel Lienau, Chief Executive Officer of NW&PB, said the achievement reflects a long-term commitment to water stewardship. “We are pleased to share these significant milestones today on AWS certification and water regeneration. Good water stewardship is part of our DNA and strong water resilience is a strategic imperative for our business,” she said.
“That is why we look to collaborate everywhere we operate to ensure we address any shared water challenges, now and for the future. This is something we have been working on for decades,” Lienau added.
Alongside certification, the company reported 70 active water regeneration projects globally, delivering 14.1 million cubic metres of water annually. These initiatives are measured using the World Resources Institute’s Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting methodology, providing a standardised framework to quantify impact and support transparent reporting.
The projects are implemented in collaboration with municipalities, farmers and conservation groups, with a focus on returning more water to local ecosystems than is consumed in operations over time.
Nestlé is supporting these efforts through targeted investments in key markets. In France, the €25 million (US$29.07 million) Agrivair Garrigue programme focuses on sustainable agriculture, biodiversity restoration and water quality improvements in the Gard region.
In Italy, the company is expanding its F.O.N.T.E initiative with an additional €40 million investment through 2030, building on a previous €30 million programme aimed at protecting water basins, biodiversity and local communities.
The company also confirmed the extension of its partnership with the International Union for Conservation of Nature, which provides science-based guidance aligned with the IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions.
Adrian Sym, Chief Executive of AWS, emphasised the importance of structured water stewardship frameworks.
“In an era of increasing resource volatility, where individuals and organisations are passionate about making a difference but don’t always know how, a global independent standard that includes an accessible, independent and practical framework for water stewardship and landscape protection is essential,” he said.
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