Water for Business: Initiatives guiding sustainable water management in the private sector

“Water for Business: Initiatives Guiding Sustainable Water Management in the Private Sector”, jointly developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) identifies 16 initiatives or tools, driven by business leaders, civil society and governments, which have emerged since 2006.

It includes the WBCSD Global Water Tool, which helps companies map their water use and assess water risks and opportunities across their global operations.

“Water for Business” is not an exhaustive overview; rather, it tries to concisely capture business-relevant initiatives that are addressing the challenge of better defining sustainable water management. These can be through different approaches, including guidelines, tools, measurement methodologies, and communication and stewardship schemes.

The report includes a glossary of water terms separated into broadly used and understood terms, terms linked to specific initiatives and finally terms that are currently not well defined or are controversial. 

This guide is aimed at helping business identify which initiatives and approaches will most suit its needs, and to help developers of schemes understand opportunities for increasing impact through consensus building and joint action.