From the United Nations to rural communities to corporate boardrooms, water issues are on the agenda as never before. WWF helps governments and businesses work together to better manage this essential resource.
Water Stewardship
Bale Mountains National Park Highland wetlands , Ethiopia.
Nearly every business sector is water-dependant in some way or another. The first 15 minutes of your day – coffee, jeans and t-shirt, email – have a global water footprint that touches Central America, Pakistan and China.
Yet the supermarket chain, clothing company and microchip maker are just beginning to understand what this life-giving substance means to them, their profits and their long-term viability.
Stewardship goes beyond being an efficient water user. It means contributing to the responsible, sustainable management of freshwater resources. WWF's work on water stewardship helps governments, companies, investors and others understand their water footprints and become better water stewards.
But the journey doesn’t end there. Beyond water footprints and reducing the impact of individual water users, WWF urges companies to look outside their own operations. We are helping redefine the role of the private sector in advocating, supporting and promoting better basin governance, for the benefit of people and nature.
Examples of this work include:
Yet the supermarket chain, clothing company and microchip maker are just beginning to understand what this life-giving substance means to them, their profits and their long-term viability.
Stewardship goes beyond being an efficient water user. It means contributing to the responsible, sustainable management of freshwater resources. WWF's work on water stewardship helps governments, companies, investors and others understand their water footprints and become better water stewards.
But the journey doesn’t end there. Beyond water footprints and reducing the impact of individual water users, WWF urges companies to look outside their own operations. We are helping redefine the role of the private sector in advocating, supporting and promoting better basin governance, for the benefit of people and nature.
Examples of this work include:
- Promoting private sector water stewardship at the global level
WWF is closely involved in initiatives on corporate engagement around water, such as the United Nations’ CEO Water Mandate and the World Economic Forum. We are driving water use standards through the Alliance for Water Stewardship and supporting the uptake of water footprinting tools in partnership with the Water Footprint Network.
- Engaging with individual businesses to reduce the impacts of their water use
WWF is the partner of choice for The Coca-Cola Company, SABMiller, IKEA and Marks & Spencer, among others, to identify opportunities for enhanced water stewardship. We facilitate private sector engagement with public policy to conserve water resources in our priority river basins.
- Promoting public sector water stewardship at the river basin level
This includes measuring water use and impacts at the river basin level, demonstrating solutions for reducing these impacts, and promoting national and international policies that encourage good water stewardship and ensure environmental flows.
WWF has challenged Coca-Cola to be the best environmental stewards we can be. They’re holding us to a high standard and that’s going to make us a better company.
"Water footprint" refers to the water used for agriculture, by business & industry, and in households. It can be calculated for everything from an individual product to a company's operations to an entire country.
In terms of WWF's work, the impact of this water use is more important than the amount of water used.
These impacts can include habitat loss, reduced water flow and reduced water quality.
In terms of WWF's work, the impact of this water use is more important than the amount of water used.
These impacts can include habitat loss, reduced water flow and reduced water quality.
WWF has the maturity and understanding of business for us to be very open, and they can challenge us, and help us change our thinking, but we trust there will be an understanding of our position.
Reports and factsheets
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Understanding Water Risk IV
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Investigating Shared Risk in Water: Corporate Engagement with the Public Policy Process
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Assessing Water Risk: A Practical Approach for Financial Institutions
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Water footprinting: Identifying and addressing water risks in the value chain
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Global Water Scarcity: Risks and challenges for business
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CEO Water Mandate Guide to Responsible Business Engagement with Water Policy
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Water Stewardship 2011 Factsheet
Understanding Water Risk IV
