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STAMFORD, Conn. -- Kim Jeffery, president and chief executive officer of Nestlé Waters North America Inc., will be honored along with his company for dedication to the environment and the Bartlett Arboretum & Gardens on Friday at the Bamboo Benefit. Nestlé Waters moved to Stamford in 2010 and quickly discovered the natural beauty and educational value of its neighbor.
“We realized our missions very much aligned,” said Jeffery. “Natural spring water composes many of our brands. Both Bartlett and we care about the environment and conservation.”
Jeffery has headed Nestlé Waters for 20 years. He joined the company in 1978, when its only brand was sparkling Perrier mineral water.
Under his leadership, Nestlé Waters became the largest bottled water company in North America, with 15 beverage brands, 7,500 employees and 30 plants. Jeffery attributes much of that success to the values-based culture he created throughout the organization as it grew.
“Nestlé Waters employees work within a culture of respect, accountability and integrity,” he said. “When they volunteer at organizations like the Bartlett, they bring their passion and skill to do the right thing, whether as a volunteer or employee.”
Jeffery has been recognized throughout his career for making the environment a key priority. Nestlé Waters has become an industry leader in building LEED plants certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, reducing water and energy use, and preserving 14,000 acres around more than 50 spring sites for watershed and wildlife protection.
Recognized for his impact on the bottled water industry, Jeffery was the recipient of the Beverage Forum Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007 and inducted into the Beverage Industry Hall of Fame in the fall of 2010. He is also a member of the International Bottled Water Association Hall of Fame and serves on the executive board of the American Beverage Association and the board of Keep America Beautiful.
“As a partner with the Bartlett, we have had many of our employees spend hundreds of volunteer hours on nature explorers classroom and trails,” Jeffery said. “Nestlé and the Bartlett also collaborated on programs at the Yerwood Center, bringing environmental stewardship to the next generation, which is the real key.”
A native of Wilmette, Ill., Jeffery is a graduate of Hillsdale College in Michigan. He and his wife, Mary, and their four children live in Greenwich.
