Nestlé Waters North America Appoints Nelson Switzer to Lead Sustainability Efforts
The President and CEO of Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA), Tim Brown, is pleased to announce the appointment of well-known sustainability innovator Nelson Switzer as Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer.
Nelson has over 15 years of experience in environmental and social sustainability in Canada, the United States and Europe with deep expertise in sustainability strategy development, integration and implementation. Having held pivotal roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Centrica plc NA, as well as the Royal Bank of Canada, he is internationally recognized as a leader in the field of sustainability. Nelson is also former Executive in Residence at the Ivey School of Business and Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Waterloo.
At NWNA, Nelson is responsible for the continued growth and implementation of the beverage company’s multi-faceted sustainability strategy.
Noting that NWNA’s commitment to operate for long-term sustainability is aligned with his personal mission, Switzer said, “Nestlé Waters’ leadership in healthy hydration can help enhance people’s quality of life. I’m looking forward to expanding upon what this great company is already doing so well, working with people who share a passion for water, people and community and the preservation and creation of natural, social and economic capital that benefits all.”
Driven by a rising tide of health-conscious consumers, bottled water is poised to be the number one consumed beverage in America within the decade. As the industry expands, so does the role sustainability is expected to play in its operations and the communities it serves. By its recent appointment of Switzer, NWNA, whose brand portfolio includes 12 popular U.S. bottled waters, is looking to continue to shape environmental and social best practices of the industry for years to come.
“Having such a highly qualified, well-respected team builder to fill this new position reflects our ongoing commitment to sustainability,” said Tim Brown. “Though we’re proud of what we have accomplished thus far, Nelson’s creative nature and collaborative style will help us develop new, even better solutions that will create value, not only for Nestlé Waters, but for all people.”
According to Brown, Switzer’s experience as a strategic advisor, coupled with his proven facility at working at global and local levels, within both public and private sectors, positions him well to help solve many of the complex challenges ahead. From water and resource stewardship to enhancing the environmental performance of packaging, there exist many opportunities for Switzer’s skills at collective action, partnerships and engagement to support Nestlé Waters North America’s vision for sustainable growth.
About Nestlé Waters North America
Nestlé Waters North America provides people with an unrivaled portfolio of bottled waters for healthy hydration. Brands such as NESTLÉ PURE LIFE®, POLAND SPRING®, PERRIER® and S.PELLEGRINO® have driven Nestlé Waters North America to be third largest non-alcoholic beverage company by volume in the U.S. Based in Stamford, Connecticut with 7,500 employees, Nestlé Waters is dedicated to continually improving sustainability across operations. In the areas of water use, packaging and energy use, the company’s environmentally-minded practices have enabled it to decrease its carbon footprint, in spite of steadily rising sales volume. Such innovations as the introduction of recycled plastic (rPET) bottles and “lightweighting” of bottles have led to significant reductions in its use of natural resources. As a natural resource company, Nestlé Waters sustainably manages about 40 spring sites, as well as nearly 14,000 acres of watershed as open space. The company is also committed to creating shared value and being a good neighbor in the 140 communities where it operates in the U.S.
