As problems of governance, scarcity and pollution have spread and intensified, interest in protecting water has diversified. More than ever before, business leaders realise that their long-term profitability – even viability – depends on the right quantity and quality of water available at the right time and place to meet the needs of people, business and ecosystems. This business interest triggered the creation in 2008 of WWF’s Water Stewardship Programme.
The concept of water stewardship serves to unite a wide set of stakeholders interested in water management. In common usage, it often refers to business action on water challenges. In this brief, we are using the term in this common sense, as it relates to business – while acknowledging that there is no universally agreed definition. We define Water Stewardship for business as a progression of increased improvement of water use and a reduction in the water-related impacts of internal and value chain operations. More importantly, it is a commitment to the sustainable management of shared water resources in the public interest through collective action with other businesses, governments, NGOs and communities
The emergence of water stewardship does not replace the need for technical expertise, nor does it supersede government responsibility for water management. We have witnessed many early efforts from companies starting out a fresh in the “water business” acting as if no one has done this before! Being a good water steward requires a sound understanding of water as a resource with strong connections to political-economic objectives, such as health, energy and agriculture. Only with such understanding can a company craft a strategy that is relevant to various stakeholders. However, even with an enlightened strategy, companies must be mindful that the rules of the game are set by the government. Stewardship, therefore, requires policy advocacy quite unlike anything most companies have done before.