Sustainability is a team sport: PepsiCo Chief Sustainability Officer Jim
Jim Andrew, Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo, on regenerative agriculture, water security, and more.
- Apr 9, 2026,
- Updated Apr 9, 2026 4:22 PM IST
At a time , when climate volatility, water stress, and resource constraints are reshaping boardroom conversations, sustainability is no longer a peripheral commitment, it is a strategic imperative. For global food and beverage major PepsiCo, that shift has meant embedding sustainability into the heart of its business model.
In an exclusive conversation with Business Today, Jim Andrew, Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo, speaks about the company’s ‘PepsiCo Positive’ strategy, circular packaging, and why trust and not optics is central to the company’s climate journey. Edited excerpts:
Has sustainability delivered measurable business value in emerging markets like India?
About five years ago, we made a conscious decision to put sustainability at the centre of our corporate strategy. We call it ‘PepsiCo Positive’. It’s not CSR. It’s about using sustainability to drive growth and long-term value. In markets like India, that means reducing our environmental footprint, strengthening supply chains, supporting communities and delivering business results simultaneously.
How has ‘PepsiCo Positive’ been received internally and externally?
It has galvanised our organisation. Our associates take pride in it because it’s embedded into how we operate from decision-making to remuneration. Externally, it builds trust. Sustainability is a team sport. No company can do this alone.
Was there a challenge balancing sustainability messaging while protecting brand identity?
Consumers connect with us through brands like Lay’s and Pepsi, not necessarily the corporate name. Our effort has been to communicate that the brands people love are part of a company that cares deeply about its societal role. Many don’t realise PepsiCo is at its heart an agricultural company. We source 50 major crops from 60 countries. In India alone, we work with 27,000 farmers across 14 states. A resilient agricultural system is critical not just environmentally, but commercially.
Has climate volatility forced changes in your agri-supply chains?
We’ve always been “local for local,” especially in foods. Lay’s chips in India are made from 100% locally grown potatoes. Many of our farmer relationships are multi-generational. Climate change, however, is intensifying shocks, hotter regions getting hotter, drier regions drier. Our focus is helping farmers build resilience. We haven’t changed our model; we’ve deepened it. Keeping farmers successful is good for communities and for our business.
What challenges exist in driving regenerative agriculture in India?
Farmers get one or two harvests a year to get it right. If experimentation fails, their livelihood is at risk. So, adoption requires three elements: financial support, technical guidance, and social proof. We use demo farms where farmers learn from fellow farmers. Peer credibility is powerful. Globally, we’ve expanded regenerative practices to 3.5 million acres in 2024, and that continues to grow. In India, we’re partnering with start-ups on both low-tech and high-tech solutions, from biochar initiatives that have shown yield increases and fertiliser reductions, to AI-driven advisory platforms offering hyper-local weather insights.
Where does India stand on sustainable packaging?
Globally, 93% of our packaging by weight is recyclable. In India, we are moving toward polyolefin-based recycle-ready packaging in our foods business and remain fully compliant with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mandates. Packaging requires ecosystem change, enabling policy, collection infrastructure, segregation systems. But progress depends on regulatory support and industry collaboration.
With growing scrutiny around greenwashing, how do you maintain credibility?
Trust is everything. We align with globally recognised standards and publish annual progress transparently including where progress is slower than expected. Greenwashing erodes trust. Data-driven reporting and clear goal-setting are essential. We want to be a preferred partner, and that requires honesty.
How does PepsiCo address water security in India?
Water intersects everything: agriculture, manufacturing, recycling. We focus on efficiency and replenishment. One of our food plants in India operates at 0.7 litres of water per kilogram of product. In 2024, PepsiCo replenished 1.5 billion litres of water globally, about twice the amount used in high-risk watersheds in India. Our goal is to be net water positive by 2030.
@tweettokarishma
At a time , when climate volatility, water stress, and resource constraints are reshaping boardroom conversations, sustainability is no longer a peripheral commitment, it is a strategic imperative. For global food and beverage major PepsiCo, that shift has meant embedding sustainability into the heart of its business model.
In an exclusive conversation with Business Today, Jim Andrew, Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo, speaks about the company’s ‘PepsiCo Positive’ strategy, circular packaging, and why trust and not optics is central to the company’s climate journey. Edited excerpts:
Has sustainability delivered measurable business value in emerging markets like India?
About five years ago, we made a conscious decision to put sustainability at the centre of our corporate strategy. We call it ‘PepsiCo Positive’. It’s not CSR. It’s about using sustainability to drive growth and long-term value. In markets like India, that means reducing our environmental footprint, strengthening supply chains, supporting communities and delivering business results simultaneously.
How has ‘PepsiCo Positive’ been received internally and externally?
It has galvanised our organisation. Our associates take pride in it because it’s embedded into how we operate from decision-making to remuneration. Externally, it builds trust. Sustainability is a team sport. No company can do this alone.
Was there a challenge balancing sustainability messaging while protecting brand identity?
Consumers connect with us through brands like Lay’s and Pepsi, not necessarily the corporate name. Our effort has been to communicate that the brands people love are part of a company that cares deeply about its societal role. Many don’t realise PepsiCo is at its heart an agricultural company. We source 50 major crops from 60 countries. In India alone, we work with 27,000 farmers across 14 states. A resilient agricultural system is critical not just environmentally, but commercially.
Has climate volatility forced changes in your agri-supply chains?
We’ve always been “local for local,” especially in foods. Lay’s chips in India are made from 100% locally grown potatoes. Many of our farmer relationships are multi-generational. Climate change, however, is intensifying shocks, hotter regions getting hotter, drier regions drier. Our focus is helping farmers build resilience. We haven’t changed our model; we’ve deepened it. Keeping farmers successful is good for communities and for our business.
What challenges exist in driving regenerative agriculture in India?
Farmers get one or two harvests a year to get it right. If experimentation fails, their livelihood is at risk. So, adoption requires three elements: financial support, technical guidance, and social proof. We use demo farms where farmers learn from fellow farmers. Peer credibility is powerful. Globally, we’ve expanded regenerative practices to 3.5 million acres in 2024, and that continues to grow. In India, we’re partnering with start-ups on both low-tech and high-tech solutions, from biochar initiatives that have shown yield increases and fertiliser reductions, to AI-driven advisory platforms offering hyper-local weather insights.
Where does India stand on sustainable packaging?
Globally, 93% of our packaging by weight is recyclable. In India, we are moving toward polyolefin-based recycle-ready packaging in our foods business and remain fully compliant with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mandates. Packaging requires ecosystem change, enabling policy, collection infrastructure, segregation systems. But progress depends on regulatory support and industry collaboration.
With growing scrutiny around greenwashing, how do you maintain credibility?
Trust is everything. We align with globally recognised standards and publish annual progress transparently including where progress is slower than expected. Greenwashing erodes trust. Data-driven reporting and clear goal-setting are essential. We want to be a preferred partner, and that requires honesty.
How does PepsiCo address water security in India?
Water intersects everything: agriculture, manufacturing, recycling. We focus on efficiency and replenishment. One of our food plants in India operates at 0.7 litres of water per kilogram of product. In 2024, PepsiCo replenished 1.5 billion litres of water globally, about twice the amount used in high-risk watersheds in India. Our goal is to be net water positive by 2030.
@tweettokarishma