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Working with business

A huge number of companies are waking up to the risks they face as the world’s water resources grow scarcer.

Dried up lake bed caused by drought, Naivasha, Kenya.

Why does water matter to business?

Practically all businesses depend on water. And they can no longer take this crucial resource for granted.

Growing populations and rising incomes are increasing the demand for products that need a lot of water to produce - like meat, sugar and cotton. Changes in rainfall patterns because of climate change also make future water supplies uncertain.

The reality of a global water crisis has made the private sector sit up and realise that water is a key resource under threat. Changes to the availability, quality and cost of water can pose serious risks to a business’s profits and growth, and affect its supply chains and brand reputation.

Even if a company uses water responsibly, there’s no guarantee that others will do the same. Water is the ultimate shared resource - it can only be managed sustainably if all water users in the river basin work together.

This means businesses need to look beyond their own operations and have a voice in water management in the river basins where they work.

Paddling on beach

What is a water footprint?

A business’s water footprint measures the total water used to produce the goods and services the business provides.

Water footprints may tell us how much water is used, but we’re also concerned about where this water is taken from, and when, and the impact this has.

An increased water footprint in an area where water is plentiful might not matter much. But in an area where water is already scarce it could lead to serious problems, like rivers drying up, habitats and livelihoods being destroyed and species becoming extinct - as well as affecting agricultural prices, supplies and local economies.

Why and how we’re involved

We believe businesses can help us solve the world’s water problems. We challenge businesses to think differently and lead the way when it comes to water.

We work with companies including The Coca-Cola Company, SABMiller, IKEA and Marks & Spencer to help them understand the water footprint of their businesses and supply chains - and how to reduce them.

But we expect companies to become much more than just efficient water users. The private sector can be a powerful advocate for better water management - not just to meet its own needs, but for nature and the wider community. We call this water stewardship.

At the global level, we’re closely involved in initiatives to engage businesses with water, including the United Nations’ CEO Water Mandate and the World Economic Forum.

We promote water use standards through the Alliance for Water Stewardship, and encourage businesses to use water footprinting tools in partnership with the Water Footprint Network.

How we're helping business make changes

Here are just a couple of examples of how our work with businesses is helping address water risks. 

Beer production

Our partnership with huge brewing company SABMiller is helping it assess and reduce risks from its water use, both in its operations and along its supply chain.

We’re also helping them engage with NGOs, communities, government and other businesses to tackle local water problems in South Africa, Tanzania, Ukraine and Peru.

The company is sharing what it’s learning to promote better water management across the world.

Another example can be seen at Lake Naivasha in Kenya’s Rift Valley, which supports a unique ecosystem, but also a thirsty and economically important flower industry.

Water scarcity and pollution threatens companies in the booming flower-export industry, which tens of thousands of livelihoods depend on. We’re fostering partnerships between the private sector, communities and local governments to recognise and address those water problems.