Water is often discussed as an environmental challenge, yet its implications extend far beyond the natural world. It is a critical shared resource that underpins public health, food security, economic growth and social stability. Because water is used by multiple stakeholders simultaneously, its security depends not only on how individuals, businesses and governments consume it, but also on how we collectively manage and protect it. This makes water stewardship a shared responsibility and a prerequisite for long term sustainable development.
The environment plays an important role in fostering economic prosperity and development, shaping the wealth and wellbeing of both current and future generations. Water is particularly significant in this context, as it underpins prosperity through three critical channels: as safe drinking water, as an essential input for various economic sectors, and as a vital resource for healthy ecosystems. As water risks continue to grow globally, safeguarding this resource is becoming not only an environmental imperative, but also an economic necessity.
Water is an essential input in food production, and its reliable supply significantly affects food security. As a critical input for agriculture, water plays a fundamental role in meeting our daily food and nutrition needs. As climate pressures intensify and demand for resources continues to grow, the need to use water more efficiently across agricultural systems has become increasingly important. For Nestlé, the case has never been more evident. Our Agriculture Framework ensures that we develop strategies that support suppliers and farmers. This encourages stakeholders to adopt regenerative agricultural practices that make sense locally. These range from planting a diverse range of crops on farms and implementing precision farming techniques to reduce the use of fossil-based fertilisers and pesticides. This framework also covers water stewardship and environmental stewardship.
For Nestlé locally, leading and driving water stewardship isn’t solely centred on what the business can do, but on the partnerships it cultivates for long term impact. Addressing South Africa's water challenges requires collective action, with government, business and civil society working together to strengthen water resilience and secure sustainable access for all. As a key partner in the Strategic Water Partnership Network (SWPN), our active role focuses on supporting the initiative's core objective of creating a resilient water and sanitation plan that can meet the country's demand for water, which is expected to rise by 17.7 billion m³ by 2030. Through leadership in working groups such as Water Use Efficiency and Leakage Reduction (WELR), stakeholders can consolidate efforts towards metering and monitoring water flows, water harvesting, recycling treated water, quality management, alternative service models and identifying relevant new technologies.
The economic consequences of deteriorating water security are substantial. Municipalities reported R14.89 billion in water losses in just one year, highlighting the scale of non-revenue water draining the economy. These losses underscore the need for greater investment in water infrastructure and more efficient water management practices across sectors. Simultaneously, national estimates indicate that R400 billion is required to rehabilitate and modernise South Africa's water and sanitation infrastructure. This investment gap signals both a challenge and an opportunity: failing to close it will intensify supply interruptions, but addressing it could catalyse economic stability, strengthen investor confidence and unlock new industrial capacity. Ultimately, water security is not only an environmental priority, but a key enabler of sustainable economic growth and long-term prosperity.
As a business that prioritises Creating Shared Value, we recognise that addressing complex water challenges requires the contributions of stakeholders across the entire value chain. Accounting for more than 50% of Southern Africa's population, women play a pivotal role in advancing water security, strengthening food systems and improving access to water across the region. Unlocking the full potential of women in agriculture is not only a matter of inclusion, but also a strategic imperative for building more resilient and sustainable farming systems. Through our partnership with Farming in Heels, Nestlé supports efforts to equip women farmers with the knowledge, skills and resources needed to promote agricultural practices that prioritise water security, climate resilience, food security and sustainable agriculture.
Investing in women farmers is more than a social imperative; it is a strategic opportunity to strengthen agricultural resilience and sustainability. As agriculture faces increasing pressure from water scarcity and climate change, women have the potential to play a leading role in advancing regenerative agricultural practices that protect natural resources, improve productivity and support sustainable livelihoods. By strengthening access to knowledge, skills and economic opportunities, stakeholders can help unlock lasting benefits for farming communities and the broader food system.
Women account for more than 45% of Nestlé's workforce in the region and continue to play an important role in shaping the future of food systems, sustainability and environmental stewardship. As the food and beverage industry navigates increasingly complex sustainability challenges, women in STEM are helping to develop the innovations and solutions needed to drive long term resilience. Their expertise demonstrates that investing in women in STEM is not only critical for scientific progress and business performance, but also for building more sustainable and resilient communities.
Achieving a water-secure future requires a collaborative spirit and strong partnerships among government, farmers, industry and communities. As water challenges become increasingly complex, no single stakeholder can address them alone. The scale and urgency of these challenges demand greater collaboration, innovation and shared accountability across the entire water value chain. Scaling these partnerships for long term, tangible benefits will also require recognising and elevating the role of women as leaders, innovators and changemakers in water stewardship. By harnessing the collective strengths of all stakeholders and ensuring that women are meaningfully represented in decision-making, there is an opportunity to build resilient water systems that support people, protect the environment and drive sustainable economic prosperity for generations to come.