by Shane Henson — August 29, 2012—Water management is a key to reducing a business’s expenses and helping it operate sustainably, as is energy management, and in a new online guide released by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and SustainAbility, facilities managers can learn how they can begin making their buildings water savers instead of water wasters.
According to WBCSD, Water for Business is the first guide specifically designed for businesses to help them identify the water tools and initiatives most suitable for their business needs and environmental sustainability.
“This is an essential guide for business, especially when you consider that 80 percent of the global population now lives in areas where the threat to water security is high. That, coupled with the spread of industrial and agricultural activity, is putting additional stress on local aquifers. So businesses need to have frameworks within which they can measure, manage and assess their impacts, especially those moving into emerging markets,” said Joppe Cramwinckel, director of WBCSD Water.
With the publication of Water for Business, the WBCSD recognizes that one initiative alone will not satisfy the needs of every business, local community or stakeholder group. The guide outlines the benefits of the different tools available, illustrates how a combination of complementary tools can best meet wide-ranging needs, and helps businesses to manage the complexity of water-related challenges.
“Water is becoming an increasingly precious resource for businesses across sectors and around the world. Managing it effectively—both within and beyond the facility fenceline—is essential to ensuring that both businesses and communities prosper long into the future. Water for Business can help business leaders sort through the myriad of tools and resources available, and select the ones that are most useful for their individual situation,” said Jeff Erikson, senior vice president at SustainAbility.
