Bechtel Named to Fortune’s 2025 Change the World List for Breakthrough in Sustainable Water Reuse

ESTON, VA — Fortune has named Bechtel to its 2025 Change the World list, recognizing companies that embed social and environmental impact into their core business strategies. Bechtel earned the recognition for its work developing practical, large-scale solutions to sustainability challenges—including a new low-energy process that makes water reuse more accessible for industry and communities.

Bechtel Honored for Breakthrough in Desalination

Fortune highlighted Bechtel’s Low Energy Ejector Desalination System (LEEDS), which reclaims industrial wastewater and transforms it into a reusable resource for farms, communities, and energy operations. Unlike conventional desalination, which is often too energy-intensive and expensive, LEEDS reduces energy use by as much as 50 percent while meeting strict recovery, efficiency, and water-quality targets.

During 2024 field operations in the Permian Basin, a LEEDS pilot treated 400 barrels of produced water per day, proving the system’s potential to scale as a cost-effective water reuse solution in water-stressed regions.

'Bigger Than the Projects We Deliver'

“Our purpose has always been bigger than the projects we deliver,” said Brendan Bechtel, Chairman and CEO at Bechtel. “Bechtel’s legacy is defined by taking on the world’s toughest challenges and delivering results that transform communities and industries. What truly sets Bechtel apart is its people—the extraordinary teams who tackle the impossible and achieve what others cannot. We are privileged to do this work that touches lives around the world.”

The Change the World recognition underscores how business performance and social impact go hand in hand. Bechtel works with customers and communities worldwide to deliver projects that strengthen resilience, advance sustainability, and expand opportunity.

Tackling 21st-Century Challenges

Looking forward, Bechtel is addressing some of today’s most urgent needs: supporting the growth of artificial intelligence with resilient infrastructure, advancing energy independence, and securing the critical minerals modern economies depend on. The company’s project portfolio spans transformative transportation systems like London’s Elizabeth Line, NASA’s Mobile Launcher 2, and the management of US national laboratories.

To learn more, visit www.bechtel.com.

Note: this release was rewritten with help from generative AI.