EPA Recognizes PepsiCo with 2010 ENERGY STAR(R) Sustained Excellence Award

PURCHASE, N.Y., March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP) a 2010 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award in recognition of its continued leadership in protecting our environment through energy efficiency. PepsiCo's accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 18, 2010.

PepsiCo, an ENERGY STAR partner since 2004, is being honored for its long-term commitment to energy efficiency for the fourth consecutive year, and for the third time with "Sustained Excellence." PepsiCo is continually working to address the issue of climate change, from scaling up the company's use of renewable fuel sources to reducing energy consumption. In May 2008, PepsiCo introduced new Sustainable Engineering Guidelines that apply to all new construction and major reengineering projects worldwide. PepsiCo also significantly expanded its impact through an outreach program that encouraged more than 90 PepsiCo suppliers to join ENERGY STAR and focus on improving energy efficiency. Across the U.S., top companies and organizations are leading the way toward a more energy-efficient future through participation in ENERGY STAR.

Last year alone Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved $17 billion on their energy bills and reduced greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those emitted by 30 million vehicles.

"This award honors the commitment of PepsiCo personnel everywhere who drive the improvement in energy efficiency across all of our operations," said Rob Schasel, Director of Energy & Utilities at PepsiCo. "As a company, we look for simple and innovative ways to drive sustainability through our business -- from finding the most efficient way to light our buildings to deploying alternative energy supplies for our operations. We view our ENERGY STAR partnership as an important way to address climate change."

PepsiCo's mission to reduce energy consumption is part of the company's commitment to sustainable growth, defined as Performance with Purpose. PepsiCo is on track to achieve the following time-bound goals: reductions in water consumption by 20%, electricity consumption by 20%, and fuel consumption by 25% per unit of production by 2015 as compared to 2006.  

The 2010 Sustained Excellence Awards are given to a select group of organizations that have exhibited outstanding leadership year after year. These winners have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by setting and achieving aggressive goals, employing innovative approaches, and showing others what can be achieved through energy efficiency. These awards recognize ongoing leadership across the ENERGY STAR program including energy-efficient products, services, new homes and buildings in the commercial, industrial and public sectors. Award winners are selected from more than 17,000 organizations that participate in the ENERGY STAR program.

"EPA is recognizing PepsiCo with our highest ENERGY STAR award - the 2010 Sustained Excellence Award," said Gina McCarthy, EPA Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation. "PepsiCo's continued leadership and commitment to energy efficiency is a testament to what we can accomplish to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect our global environment."

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that each generates more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. Our main businesses -- Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade -- also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in more than 200 countries. With annualized revenues of nearly $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose. By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide. In recognition of its continued sustainability efforts, PepsiCo was named for the third time to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) and for the fourth time to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI North America) in 2009. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

About ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through increased energy efficiency. Today, ENERGY STAR offers businesses and consumers energy-efficient solutions to save energy, money and help protect the environment for future generations. More than 17,000 organizations are ENERGY STAR partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses. For more information about ENERGY STAR, visit www.energystar.gov or call toll-free 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937).

SOURCE PepsiCo