Kim Jeffery and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to Speak on Extended Producer Responsibility at 23rd Annual SRI Conference

STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- On Thursday, Kim Jeffery, president and CEO of Nestle Waters North America (NWNA), and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., president of the Waterkeeper Alliance, will speak at the 23rd annual SRI Conference, moderated by Bill Shireman, President and CEO of Future 500. They will discuss the need for a more comprehensive waste recovery system in the U.S. In 2008, NWNA, the third largest non-alcoholic beverage company by volume in the U.S., publically pledged to reach a 60% recycling rate for PET beverage containers by 2018. Since then, the company has been advocating for an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model for packaging and printed paper.

Through EPR, NWNA hopes to bring the financial responsibility of recycling to industry, while collaborating with governments and providers to increase access to curbside recycling and recycling away from home– not just for bottles, but for all product packaging. In order to move EPR legislation forward, Nestle Waters participates in a dialogue process facilitated by Future 500 that has brought together more than 30 organizations to talk about the best attributes of an EPR for packaging program that could work in U.S. states through a legislative package.

WHAT: SRI Conference (formerly SRI in the Rockies) Panel Session, "Closing the Loop: Corporate Responsibility for 21st Century Waste Recovery Systems," featuring Kim Jeffery, President & CEO of Nestle Waters North America; Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., President of the Waterkeeper Alliance; and Bill Shireman, President & CEO of Future 500

WHEN: Thursday, October 4, 2012, 2:15 PM-3:15 PM EDT

WHERE: Uncas Ballroom, Mohegan Sun Conference Center in Uncasville, Connecticut

MEDIA INTERVIEWS: To schedule an interview with Kim Jeffery, please contact Jane Lazgin at 203-863-0240 or Jane.Lazgin@waters.nestle.com

MEDIA ATTENDANCE: The conference registration fee will be waived for media who wish to attend any public portion of the conference. To download the full conference agenda, go to: http://www.sriconference.com/agendalanding.jsp

For those who cannot attend, video of the panel will be available after the conference ends.

Nestle Waters North America is the nation's leading bottled water company. Nestle Waters offers consumers a variety of portable, calorie-free bottled waters, including Poland Spring and other natural spring water brands; Nestle® Pure Life®, a nationally distributed purified bottled water; and international brands, S. Pellegrino, Perrier and Acqua Panna. Most recently, the company has added a refreshing line of ready-to-drink iced teas. Nestle Waters North America is committed to creating shared value for society. It does so through healthy hydration, jobs and benefits to communities where it operates, and environmental stewardship, most notably responsible water management, lightweight packaging and advancing recycling in America. People's interest in reducing their calories from beverages and having a reliable second source of water has led Nestle Waters North America to be third largest non-alcoholic beverage company by volume in the U.S.

SOURCE Nestle Waters North America