Improve water security

50 Companies committed

Improve water security

Responsible water management is fundamental for companies to ensure long-term resilience and protect future profitability. While water security – access to a reliable supply of sufficient amounts of good quality freshwater – is also vital to achieving low-carbon ambitions.

The Business Alliance for Water and Climate (BAFWAC), a partnership among the UN Global Compact’s CEO Water Mandate, CDP, SUEZ and World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), has set out a program of actions for companies who wish to demonstrate their commitment to being responsible water stewards. It is supported by United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). BAFWAC will focus peer learning around three areas of action including climate resilient supply chains, circular water management, and natural infrastructure.

How companies can engage in this initiative

By endorsing this initiative, companies commit to completing the following steps:

Analyzing water and climate-related risks and implementing collaborative response strategies
Measuring and reporting water use data (through CDP’s water questionnaire, annual sustainability reports, Communication on Progress of the CEO Water Mandate, or your public website)
Reducing impacts on water availability and quality, while improving climate resilience in direct operations and along the value chain

To finalize this commitment, companies are asked to confirm via email and provide a high-resolution version of their logo to be added to the BAFWAC website.

Resources

Alliance for Water Stewardship

BAFWAC.org

CDP’s water program

Business Alliance for Water and Climate

WRI’s Aqueduct

WBCSD global water tool

The Business Case

1. Mitigate business risks

Water risks pose social, environmental and ultimately financial risks. Therefore it is obligatory for all sites, affiliates and operations to include a water risk assessment within their overall risk assessment procedures.”Roche Holding

2. Identify business opportunities

Almost three-quarters (68%) of respondents to CDP report that they have identified water-related opportunities for their business. However, companies could be doing more: only 42% of those reporting opportunities to CDP also report strategies to realize them.

In anticipation of changing weather patterns and potential shortages of water, we have made water efficiency a key strategic ambition shaping our product range.”Syngenta

3. Build reputation

Adopting this commitment will give important stakeholders confidence that the company understands the risks, is taking effective action, and increasing business resilience.

Investors are interested in our total water stewardship as it is directly linked to our business strategy, long-term growth and company acceptance.”Coca-Cola HBC

4. Increase collaboration

Brewer SABMiller (now part of Anheuser-Busch Inbev) is responding to growing water stress and declining quality with a number of community engagement programs. For example, in South Africa it has a partnership with WWF to help hop suppliers grow less water-intensive plants. In the US, it is working with The Nature Conservancy to improve barley farmers’ water efficiency and quality.

5. Supply chain engagement

German-based sportswear company Adidas is working with its cotton supply chain to move by 2018 to 100% organic cotton, which is produced under strictly defined criteria, including water consumption per unit of crop produced.