Multinational food and beverage companies need to improve how they translate sustainability pledges into measurable action on the ground, a new study led by De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) has found.
The study, which examined the sustainability programmes of three multinationals – Nestlé, PepsiCo and Coca-Cola – in Pakistan, looked at the effectiveness of the firms’ environmental and social initiatives in an emerging economy.
As it found, all three are currently undertaking sustainability initiatives in areas such as water conservation, waste reduction, renewable energy, sustainable farming, nutrition and community development.
However, the study also uncovered reporting gaps, inconsistent measurement approaches and a reliance on narrative descriptions that made it difficult to assess the long-term impact and effectiveness of many programmes.
Consistent translation
“These companies are carrying out sustainability work, so this is not a case of saying that nothing is being done,” commented Dr Meryem Altaf of DMU’s Leicester Castle Business School. “The issue is whether ambitious global commitments are being translated consistently into measurable local outcomes.”
According to the study, the companies’ environmental performance was often reported using aggregated global or corporate figures, with limited information showing what had been achieved at country- or community-level. This has led to a ‘disconnect’ between global commitments and local execution, the researchers noted.
Initiatives identified in the study included drip irrigation systems, water filtration and replenishment projects, renewable energy investments, packaging reduction programmes, waste management initiatives, farmer support schemes and nutrition projects, all of which involved community-based activity.
However, the method in which the results of these schemes were recorded and reported varied considerably, highlighting the need for more transparency and accountability standards.
Local realities
“Sustainability should not be treated as a finished policy which is handed down from a company’s headquarters,” Dr Atlaf added. “Global ambitions have to be adapted to local economic, cultural, environmental and regulatory realities. That requires a continuing relationship with the people and organisations that understand those conditions.”
The study, Towards an Integrated Approach to Corporate Sustainability: The Role of Multi-Stakeholder Value Co-Creation in the Food and Beverage Sector, was published in the journal Business Strategy and the Environment. Read more here and here.
Main Photo: In December 2025, PepsiCo Pakistan, in partnership with the PepsiCo Foundation and Seed Out, has launched the PepsiCo Rise Together Program, an initiative designed to help restore livelihoods and strengthen community resilience across Pakistan.
