In 2010, the CEO Water Mandate and UNEP produced a report, entitled Corporate Water Accounting: An Analysis of Methods and Tools for Measuring Water Use and its Impacts. This report sought to clarify commonalities and differences among existing and emerging water accounting methodologies and tools being used in the private sector. Specifically, it aimed to:

  • Elucidate commonalities and differences among emerging methods and practice;
  • Identify gaps and challenges; and
  • Suggest where accounting methods might benefit from harmonization and increased field testing.

This online platform provides a summary of the key findings from Corporate Water Accounting. The analysis does not offer specific recommendations for the advancement of each method, but rather provides general comparisons that will help stakeholders to identify the best prospective applications for each method and support the developers of these methods to work in a more coordinated and integrated fashion. This platform will be updated periodically as new resources, tools, and other information become available.

This platform and the Corporate Water Accounting report comprise one component of UNEP’s broader Water Footprint, Neutrality, and Efficiency (WaFNE) project. The WaFNE Project aims to:

  • Map and refine methodologies and related management tools for the water footprint and water neutrality concepts;
  • Build capacity and raise awareness among the public and private sectors in order to apply water accounting and neutrality concepts on a greater scale and with greater consistency; and
  • Demonstrate the applicability of harmonized concepts in enhancing water efficiency and improving water quality in water-intensive industries and water-stressed regions.

Other Project Background Resources

  • To learn more about the organizations and initiatives involved in developing this project, see the Project Team page.
  • To learn more about the research methodology that guided this analysis, go to the Research Methodology page.
  • To learn more about the stakeholders that informed the development of this project, go to the Research Advisory Committee page.