PepsiCo Foundation Partners With SEEDS To Support Relief Work For Communities Affected By Cyclone Amphan in West Bengal

• Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS) is one of the leading NGOs front-ending the Amphan community relief work in West Bengal.
• Partnership to provide 3,75,000 meals to vulnerable communities in 4 districts of West Bengal
• 80 community water filters to ensure clean drinking water benefitting over 8000 people for more than a year
• Month’s supply of Hygiene Kits to be provided to impacted communities

Kolkata, June 22, 2020: The PepsiCo Foundation has partnered with Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS), a not for profit organization to run relief intervention program and deliver life-saving assistance to people worst affected by cyclone Amphan in West Bengal. As part of the partnership, SEEDS will provide 3,75,000 meals, 1000 hygiene kits and 80 water filters for safe water access to the community members in East Medinipur, Howrah, Kolkata, and South 24 Parganas districts of West Bengal.

Based on SEEDS needs assessment of the Amphan affected areas in West Bengal, vulnerable communities will be assisted with these emergency supplies. The initiative includes distribution of 3,75,000 meals to impacted communities along with a month’s supply of hygiene kits. Since people are also at a high risk of water-borne infections, PepsiCo Foundation through SEEDS will ensure access to clean drinking water by setting up 80 community filters. This will enable the availability of clean water for more than a year, benefitting over 8000 affected people.

On partnering with PepsiCo Foundation for the intervention program, Dr. Manu Gupta, Co-Founder, SEEDS, said, “The effect of Cyclone Amphan has been devastating for communities located in the remote areas of the Sunderbans; the generous support from PepsiCo Foundation is helping us reach urgent humanitarian aid to these communities who would have otherwise been left behind.”

Ahmed ElSheikh, President, PepsiCo India said, “Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan was a powerful tropical cyclone that caused widespread damage in West Bengal. The severe cyclone has displaced thousands of families who are in dire need of food, safe drinking water and hygiene items. Our commitment is just a small effort to help those in need and support them in their journey of coming back to normalcy. We are delighted to partner with SEEDS, one of the leading NGOs front-ending the Amphan community relief work in West Bengal. We will continue giving our support to the communities in West Bengal during these challenging times.”

About PepsiCo India

PepsiCo entered India in 1989 and has grown to become one of the largest MNC food and beverage businesses in India. PepsiCo India’s diverse portfolio includes iconic brands like Pepsi, Lay’s, Kurkure, Tropicana 100%, Gatorade and Quaker.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. “Winning with Purpose” reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business. We believe that continuously improving the products we sell, operating responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the world is what enables PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. In 2009, PepsiCo India achieved a significant milestone, by becoming the first business to achieve ‘Positive Water Balance’ in the beverage world, a fact verified by Deloitte Touché Tohmatsu India Pvt. Ltd. The company has been Water Positive since then. For more information, please visit www.pepsicoindia.co.in.

About The PepsiCo Foundation   

Established in 1962, The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we’re focused on helping alleviate hunger, managing water and waste responsibly and supporting women as champions of nutrition from farm to family. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work—collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsico.com/sustainability/philanthropy. 

About SEEDS

SEEDS (Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society) is a not-for-profit organisation that enables community resilience through practical solutions in the areas of disaster readiness, response and rehabilitation. Since 1994, the organization has worked extensively on every major disaster in the Indian subcontinent – grafting innovative technology on to traditional wisdom. It has reached out to families affected by disasters and climate stresses; strengthened and rebuilt schools and homes; and has invariably put its faith in skill-building, planning and communications to foster long-term resilience. SEEDS is also India’s first agency to be certified for the global Core Humanitarian Standards – an international certification system for quality and accountability in humanitarian response. SEEDS completed 25 years of outstanding service to humanity in 2019 and is re-anchoring its approach to building resilience through innovation. It continues to empower the most vulnerable across Asia to build a better future. For more information, visit www.SEEDSindia.org