Nonprofit organization BEF and food and beverage company Danone North America have a unique legacy of partnership on water spanning over 15 years. In 2009, the company was one of the earliest supporters of BEF’s Water Restoration Certificates program, purchasing certificates in support of projects to balance their water use. This program led to the creation of Change the Course, an initiative that engages companies and individuals in water conservation and restoration.

Danone North America became the first Charter Sponsor of Change the Course, which was piloted in the Colorado River Basin. This campaign motivates people to pledge to conserve water, and for every pledge made returns 1,000 gallons of water to the environment. The company leveraged the power of their brand to engage the public in understanding the importance of the Colorado River, and helped to increase the project’s visibility. In 2015, 20 more companies joined the movement, supporting 14 restoration projects in the Colorado River Basin alone. Building on the success of the Colorado River Basin pilot, Change the Course has now expanded into a nationwide initiative.

Project Results

• Danone North America, as a Charter Sponsor of Change the Course, has been supporting almost 40 water restoration projects, has restored over 7 8 billion gallons of water, and has leveraged their brands for stakeholder engagement and water conservation education and awareness The company has advanced their water stewardship focusing on agricultural water use, operational efficiency quality and safety, as well as driving collaborative stewardship in targeted watersheds.
• Building upon the success of delivered projects, BEF is now seen by the business community as an independent nonprofit that can assist companies in scoping, vetting, and supporting projects material to their operations and/or value chain.