Product water footprint assessments: Practical application in corporate water stewardship

When properly managed, even large volumes of water use can be sustainable in locations where the resource is sufficient to support the use. The impacts of a water use need to be assessed in the context of all water uses in the watershed in order to define cumulative impacts, shared risks and appropriate response strategies.

Date: September 2010
Source: The Coca-Cola Company and The Nature Conservancy

Water futures: Working together for a secure water future

Over the past year, the three partners have worked together in Peru, Tanzania, Ukraine and South Africa to begin this process, building on work undertaken by SAB Miller and WWF in the Czech Republic and South Africa in 2008. In each country detailed water footprints have been undertaken to provide greater insight and an in-depth understanding of the risks faced. With this knowledge, the partnership has been able to draw together relevant local stakeholders to develop a shared approach to tackle issues that have emerged.

Date: September 2010
Source: SABMiller plc, WWF-UK and GTZ

Murky water? Corporate reporting on water risk

Global water scarcity is one emerging risk that all companies should be focused on – and one about which investors need information. The combination of rising global populations, rapid economic growth in developing countries, and climate change is triggering enormous water availability challenges around the world. Electric power generators, food producers, and other water intensive industries are especially vulnerable, both in their operations and their extensive supply chains.

Date: February 2010
Source: Ceres

Good water stewardship: guidance for agricultural suppliers

This guide has been produced by WWF and Marks and Spencer to help you, as agricultural producers, start to better understand your water risks and how to reduce these risks through good water stewardship. It aims to help you identify ways to improve the use and management of the freshwater resources that are critical to the sustainability of your business.

Date: March 2010
Source: Marks and Spencer and WWF - UK

Water footprinting: Identifying and addressing water risks in the value chain

The report provides a detailed insight into the learning of WWF and SABMiller, who worked together with consultancy URS Corporation to undertake water footprints of the beer value chain in South Africa and the Czech Republic. It discusses what the water footprint results in both countries mean for SABMiller’s businesses and their action plans in response to the findings. This study looks beyond the basic water footprint numbers and considers where the resource is used and the context of its use – in particular by considering water use for different agricultural crops in the context of specific water catchments.

Date: August 2009
Source: SABMiller plc and WWF-UK

UK Water Footprint: The impact of the UK’s food and fibre consumption on global water resources

This report tells the important but largely unknown story of the water we use and where it comes from. More importantly, it highlights the impact of the UK’s consumption patterns on water resources across the world. WWF’s intention in publishing this report is to start a debate about how UK-based organisations can help to ensure that critical, and often scarce, water resources are managed wisely.

Date: August 2008
Source: WWF–UK

Saving water: From field to fork - Curbing losses and wastage in the food chain

We need to use our water prudently – no one will argue with this statement. But in fact we are wasteful. This need will become more pronounced, and the cost of bad water management will get higher in the future with increasing water demands from increasing population, cities, agriculture, and the environment. Moreover water management will become more difficult with climate change. New solutions and fast actions are required now.

Date: May 2008
Source: Stockholm International Water Institute

Future Water: The Government’s water strategy for England

The problem we face is this; because of our need to adapt to climate change, our water intensive lifestyle and other pressures such as changing land use, we need to find ways of using water much more efficiently and sustainably if we are to continue to enjoy high standards and constant supply.

Date: February 2008
Source: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Report of the Food Industry Sustainability Strategy Champions' Group on Water

To adjust to pressures on supplies of water and to bear its share of the reduction in water use the industry as a whole needs to reduce it use of water by 10-15% by 2020 and by 20-25% in the South East. This requires long-term change in production methods whilst preserving essential food hygiene and safety. It is agreed that a process of discussion between government and industry should be instituted on the feasibility of these targets and to identify means of achieving them.

Date: May 2007
Source: Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Business in the world of water

Water should be high on the business agenda because all businesses depend on water. The continuity and future success of any business are impacted by the availability, cost, and quality of water at many points along the ‘value chain’, including ‘upstream’ (in the production and supply of raw materials), ‘midstream’ (in what businesses make from raw materials or other pre-processed inputs), and ‘downstream’ (consumers need water, and everyone needs water to be treated and recycled).

Date: August 2006
Source: World Business Council for Sustainable Development