A Nestlé Waters bottling plant is the first food and beverage factory in the world to earn the highest certification under the rigorous Alliance for Water Stewardship Standard.

The Ontario, Calif., plant achieved the platinum certification in part by working with leaders in the area to help ensure water security and protect the watershed. In North America, the company is the only one of any type to reach the advanced certification.

Independent auditors examine many factors in the watersheds, including water quality and quantity. Extensive engagement with water agencies, NGOs, public officials and community members is important for certification, ensuring that actions benefit the region.

“We are extremely proud that our Ontario facility is the first food and beverage factory in the world to achieve AWS Platinum certification, globally recognized as the most rigorous water stewardship standard for businesses to meet,” says David Tulauskas, chief sustainability officer at Nestlé Waters North America. “It attests to the years of our community-first approach and the effort we have put into many water stewardship initiatives in California—on our own and as part of collective actions. We are working to achieve platinum-level certification at more of our sites, and encourage others in our industry and beyond to do the same.”

The certification recognizes the Ontario site for its water stewardship on-site and at spring sources, including water education efforts; water, sanitation and health (WASH) education outreach; and providing water donations to local food banks and emergency relief efforts.

In 2018, Nestlé Waters pledged to certify all of its water bottling sites by 2025. So far, the company has certified 30 sites around the world, including 10 in the U.S. All California factories, including Sacramento, Livermore, Cabazon and Los Angeles, have been certified under the AWS Standard, and these factories, like the Ontario plant, are now recertifying.