OREANDA-NEWS. June 20, 2016. The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), PepsiCo, and PepsiCo Foundation, renewed their five-year, private-public partnership (PPP) to spur inclusive growth in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

The partnership’s initial priority is the water and sanitation program “From Source to Home” where a US\\$5 million dollar grant from the PepsiCo Foundation will work to improve the lives of approximately 850,000 people by 2025.

Through this effort, the partners will contribute to achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable water to people living in rural and disperse communities, focusing on benefitting women and girls. They will also launch a regional center for applied water resources management through the Hydro-BID program, reducing the number of people suffering from water scarcity and advancing climate change adaptation efforts by improving institutional capacity.

The agreement was signed by IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno and Laxman Narasimhan, CEO of PepsiCo Latin America. In addition to this focus on water and sanitation, the expanded partnership seeks to develop activities in the areas of sports for development, innovation and efficiency in agriculture, and social innovation.

“Through these collaborations, we are pioneering new approaches to generate impact in a region whose future looks brighter every day,” said President Moreno. “Moving forward, we will remain committed to working together, guided by an integrated approach which will continue to catalyze growth and progress, improving lives in the Latin American and Caribbean region for years to come.”

At the public launch of the program, Laxman Narasimhan, CEO PepsiCo Latin America, said “We’re proud of the long and amazing legacy of our business across 54 Latin American markets. We remain focused on this strategic sector and to the strong partnerships we currently have and continue to build. We believe the renewal of our PPP with the IDB will help us provide a long-term and positive imprint on society and the environment in the sector.”

Having benefited more than one million people across at least 12 countries across the region, the previous five-year partnership agreement marked the first time a private-sector organization participated in the IDB's innovative regional trust funds. Since then, the partners have collaborated to generate evidence for innovations in areas including recycling, water and sanitation, youth development, sustainable agriculture, disaster relief and recovery, and nutrition.

About the IDB

The Inter-American Development Bank is a leading source of long-term financing for economic, social and institutional projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. Besides loans, grants and guarantees, the IDB conducts cutting-edge research to offer innovative and sustainable solutions to our region’s most pressing challenges. Founded in 1959 to help accelerate progress in its developing member countries, the IDB continues to work every day to improve lives.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than \\$63 billion in net revenue in 2015, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than \\$1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

About PepsiCo Latin America

PepsiCo Latin America is a division that includes all of its beverage, food and snack businesses in Latin America, comprising 54 emerging and developing markets. Our beverage, food and snacks businesses in Latin America include snacks, beverages, cookies & crackers and nutrition categories, which generated US \\$8.2 billion dollars in net revenue in 2015. Our Beverages business in the region operates through 13 major bottlers.

About PepsiCo Foundation

Established in 1962, the PepsiCo Foundation is the philanthropic anchor of PepsiCo, responsible for providing charitable contributions to eligible non-profit organizations. The Foundation is committed to developing sustainable partnerships and programs in underserved regions that provide opportunities for improved health, environment and education.