In this global context, Peru is already showing critical signs: the country is among the 32 countries with the highest water stress on the planet and in third place in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to the World Resources Institute's new Water Risk Atlas Aqueduct 4.0 (2024). In departments such as Lima and Ica, water stress reaches extremely high levels, which is evidence of a latent crisis.
Faced with this scenario, the private sector is beginning to assume a strategic role. One of the most solid cases is that of cbc Peru, the exclusive bottling company of PepsiCo, which was recognized with the Water Responsible Company 2025 Seal for the results obtained through the Public Investment Seedbed program, implemented in alliance with Aquafondo, the Water Fund of Lima and Callao. This initiative strengthens the capacities of community and municipal leaders in the Santa Eulalia river sub-basin to formulate public investment projects focused on sustainable water management and the protection of water ecosystems through natural infrastructure.
Since 2015, cbc Peru has incorporated water sustainability as part of its corporate strategy. With production plants in Sullana (Piura) and Huachipa (Lima), the company decided to protect and recover the natural water sources that supply the cities where it operates. In the north of the country, since 2015 it has maintained an alliance with the Piura Regional Water Fund (FORASAN) and in Lima, since 2022, it has been part of Aquafondo.
“When we talk about sustainability there is often doubt whether it is real or just talk, but for us it is part of our business model.”, said Analí Huamancayo Bernedo, Corporate Affairs Manager of cbc Peru. “Betting on the water resource is betting on the sustainability of our own business.”.
The company has implemented several actions to contribute to the conservation of water resources, such as planting and water harvesting projects that help reduce water stress in Lima. It has Zero Waste to Landfill certification, which guarantees that more than 99% of the operational waste from its two plants does not reach landfills. However, the company's commitment is not limited to internal operations: investing in nature-based solutions is now a strategic pillar of its sustainability.
The Public Investment Seedbed, developed in Lima since 2021, is one of the clearest results of this strategy. Through a participatory approach, community leaders and local authorities formulate proposals that are transformed into technical files registered in Invierte.pe, the national system that allows channeling public resources to implement investment projects. In this way, communities can access sustainable financing that ensures the conservation of strategic ecosystems and strengthens water security in the watershed.
In 2024 alone, the program trained 99 leaders from Chaclla and Chauca Callahuanca, tripling the initial goal and validating 19 project ideas with a potential mobilization of more than S/. 3 million for Lima and Callao.
“Water funds have a return. It's not philanthropic, it's not a speech: it's an investment that secures the most valuable resource we have. Sustainability is not something that happens outside the company, it is part of how we manage our business.”, Huamancayo emphasizes.
This is evidenced by measurable results: since 2021, 308 community leaders and officials from nine local governments have been impacted, promoting 101 project ideas valued at more than S/ 74.9 million. Nineteen of these initiatives are in the technical file phase and one has already been approved for execution by the Sierra Azul Fund in Huachupampa, with an investment of approximately USD 80,000.
In the episode of Natural Capital emphasizes that natural infrastructure is key to the well-being of communities and productive sustainability.
During the conversation on the Capital Natural podcast, Christian Bueno, manager of Profonanpe's Water Resources Program, complemented this view by highlighting the role of public-private articulation: “Our work at Profonananpe is focused on putting watersheds at the center of decision making. We are mobilizing resources and capacities so that Watershed Councils, regional governments, and private actors have viable, bankable projects that are aligned with Water Resource Management Plans. Collaboration with cbc is key to amplify this vision and position natural infrastructure as a foundation for the wellbeing of communities and the sustainability of productive activities”.
The episode is part of Capital Natural, a Profonanpe space that showcases experiences that demonstrate how investment in nature can generate real and sustainable impacts. You can watch it here.
With this case, cbc Peru reaffirms its commitment to a business model that integrates sustainability, investment and long-term water security, demonstrating that nature-based solutions can transform communities and strengthen the country's resilience.
