by Brianna Crandall — February 25, 2013—The U.K.-based Carbon Trust launched on February 19 what it says is the world’s first international award for water reduction to catalyze business action on measuring, managing and reducing water use. The organization hopes this will fundamentally change businesses’ sustainability benchmarks and the way they are viewed by investors, stakeholders and customers.
According to the Carbon Trust and a number of leading business pioneers in water management, carbon reduction is no longer enough; water is the new frontier in the battle against climate change and the devastating impact of depleting resources. The Carbon Trust is using this platform to urge businesses to reduce their water consumption as a matter of urgency.
In developing the methodology for this new award, the Carbon Trust worked closely with Sainsbury’s, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Sunlight and Branston, four early adopters of the Carbon Trust Water Standard and the first four organizations to achieve the new international award for water reduction in the pilot program. The Carbon Trust Water Standard certifies organizations that measure, manage and reduce water use, demonstrating their commitment to sustainability and the environment.
According to the Carbon Trust, businesses around the world are not acting fast enough, despite the fact that global water use is predicted to increase dramatically by 2030 to a level far exceeding current freshwater availability. Failure to act may be exposing businesses to water scarcity issues down the line, which in some cases could lead to dramatically increased costs, or could grind operations to a standstill.
The organization cited interviews with 475 senior executives of large companies in the U.K., USA, China, South Korea and Brazil that found that only one in seven of those businesses has set a target on water reduction, or publicly reported on water performance. Of those businesses that do see water as a priority risk, two-thirds listed water availability as an issue, although this figure was significantly higher in countries such as China (78%), Brazil (74%), and South Korea (75%). A full 86% were concerned that legislation is hovering on the horizon, as governments around the world assess the vulnerability of water resources, and review their policy on water scarcity.
By 2030 it is estimated that global freshwater demand will be 40% above the current supply, says the Carbon Trust, and climate change and pollution are already having a growing impact on the usable supply. This was recognized at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio last year, with UN-Water issuing a statement that the “success of green economy depends on sustainable, integrated and resource-efficient management of water resources.”
Tom Delay, Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust, said, “Addressing water use within a business has, until now, not been high on the agenda for many businesses. However, the harsh realities of future water scarcity mean this needs to change, and fast. We’ve launched the Water Standard to help companies to monitor and manage their water usage and build resource efficiency into future business plans. We know from our extensive experience helping companies to manage carbon reduction that a stringent approach to use of resources can lead to new commercial opportunities and thriving businesses, particularly for those who take the lead here and set the benchmark for others to follow.”
Early successes of the first four organizations include:
- Sainsbury’s is working with water management specialists Waterscan and is on track to achieve its target of a 50 percent relative reduction in its water use by the end of March 2013.
- Coca-Cola Enterprises is using less water by becoming more water-efficient through a range of efficiency programs, new technologies, and the commitment of its employees; the company ensures that 100% of its wastewater is treated and returned to the environment at standards supporting aquatic life.
- Sunlight, the U.K.’s largest textile rental and laundry organization, has reduced its water usage by over 12% between 2009 and 2011 and has achieved a reduction of over 50% since 2005 by focusing both on using less water per wash cycle and on recycling and reusing water, with up to 75% of water now reclaimed and reused.
- Branston, one of the largest potato processors in the U.K., invested in state-of-the-art membrane bioreactor water recycling plants for two of its sites, enabling the sites to reduce mains water consumption by around 60%.
