NGOs necessary for highlighting concerns: Nooyi
Green activists may have made the going difficult for her company, but PepsiCo President and CEO Indra Nooyi would rather have NGOs around to highlight issues affecting the environment.
By PTI |
NEW DELHI: Green activists may have made the going difficult for her company, but PepsiCo President and CEO Indra Nooyi would rather have NGOs around to highlight issues affecting the environment.
"NGOs are good and they are working hard to highlight environmental and safety issues and they should be there," she said, while referring to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) that claimed cola products contained pesticide residue harmful for human consumption.
While appreciating NGOs' concerns, India-born Nooyi insisted that products of PepsiCo were safe for consumption and complied with high quality standards.
"I personally stand behind each product we sell. They are the best in the world," she said, adding that quality standards followed in India were same as global standards.
"They are the same in Iraq, London, Beijing or New Delhi. We follow very rigorous standards of safety and quality," she said, adding her company was working with rival Coca Cola for setting up standards for finished products.
In August, CSE had claimed that 12 cola products of these two companies contained higher than permissible pesticide residue. Earlier, Coke had been involved in a row with a village panchayat in Kerala over usage of ground water for its bottling plant in Plachimada.
On the issue of water usage Nooyi said: "Bottled water, soft-drink companies use very less quantity of water as compared to other companies. In India, the industry accounts for about six per cent of total of water used. Of this bottle, soft-drink companies use 400th of one per cent."
However, she said the company was working to reduce its usage as also support conservation efforts.
"NGOs are good and they are working hard to highlight environmental and safety issues and they should be there," she said, while referring to the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) that claimed cola products contained pesticide residue harmful for human consumption.
While appreciating NGOs' concerns, India-born Nooyi insisted that products of PepsiCo were safe for consumption and complied with high quality standards.
"I personally stand behind each product we sell. They are the best in the world," she said, adding that quality standards followed in India were same as global standards.
"They are the same in Iraq, London, Beijing or New Delhi. We follow very rigorous standards of safety and quality," she said, adding her company was working with rival Coca Cola for setting up standards for finished products.
In August, CSE had claimed that 12 cola products of these two companies contained higher than permissible pesticide residue. Earlier, Coke had been involved in a row with a village panchayat in Kerala over usage of ground water for its bottling plant in Plachimada.
ADVERTISEMENT
On the issue of water usage Nooyi said: "Bottled water, soft-drink companies use very less quantity of water as compared to other companies. In India, the industry accounts for about six per cent of total of water used. Of this bottle, soft-drink companies use 400th of one per cent."
However, she said the company was working to reduce its usage as also support conservation efforts.
Start a SIP with as low as ₹500 with ET Money App!
Download
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
The Economic Times News App for Quarterly Results, Latest News in ITR, Business, Share Market, Live Sensex News & More.
ADVERTISEMENT
