• Guidance
    • Guide to Setting Site Water Targets Informed by Catchment Context
    • About
    • Element 1: Prioritize
    • Element 2: Target Ambition
    • Element 3: Reduce, Capitalize, Contribute
    • Conclusion
    • Resources
      • Glossary
      • Appendix A
      • Appendix B
      • Appendix C
    • Download Full Guide (PDF)
  • Case Studies
    • Noyyal-Bhavani (India) Case Study – PDF
    • Santa Ana (USA) Case Study – PDF
    • Upper Vaal, Berg, and Breede (South Africa) Case Study – PDF
  • Tools and Resources
  • FAQ
UN Global Compact | Pacific Institute
Mailing List
Publications
  • Corporate Water Disclosure Guidelines (2014)
  • Exploring the Business Case for Sanitation
  • Shared Water Challenges and Interests
  • Understanding "Sufficiency" in Water-Related Collective Action
  • Corporate Water Accounting
  • Guide to Managing Integrity in Water Stewardship Initiatives (2015)
  • Respecting the Human Rights to Water & Sanitation (2015)
  • Guide to Setting Site Water Targets Informed by Catchment Context
  • Guide to Responsible Business Engagement with Water Policy (2010)
  • Understanding Key Water Stewardship Terms
  • Guide to Water-Related Collective Action (2013)
  • Water Resilience Coalition
Tools & Websites
  • Water Action Hub
  • WASH4Work
  • Natural Resources Risk & Action Framework
  • Water Resilience Assessment Framework
  • Benefit Accounting of Nature-Based Solutions for Watersheds
Guide to Setting Site Water Targets Informed by Catchment ContextGuide to Setting Site Water Targets Informed by Catchment Context
  • Guidance
    • Guide to Setting Site Water Targets Informed by Catchment Context
    • About
    • Element 1: Prioritize
    • Element 2: Target Ambition
    • Element 3: Reduce, Capitalize, Contribute
    • Conclusion
    • Resources
      • Glossary
      • Appendix A
      • Appendix B
      • Appendix C
    • Download Full Guide (PDF)
  • Case Studies
    • Noyyal-Bhavani (India) Case Study – PDF
    • Santa Ana (USA) Case Study – PDF
    • Upper Vaal, Berg, and Breede (South Africa) Case Study – PDF
  • Tools and Resources
  • FAQ

Guide to Setting Site Water Targets Informed by Catchment Context

  • Home
  • Guide to Setting Site Water Targets Informed by Catchment Context

Overview

The world’s water resources are under growing pressure from rising water consumption, greater pollution, weak governance, and climate change—exposing companies to increased water-related risks.1 In response, many companies are engaging in water stewardship and setting water targets to help address their water-related externalities and secure water for the growing needs of all users.

Site water targets informed by catchment context have an important role to play in addressing water challenges and driving informed actions at the local level. Yet a minority of companies are setting them.2

The Guide

About this Guide

This guide aims to help companies set effective site water targets that are informed by catchment context, which can create value and lessen risks for the company and support collective action. This guide is intended for site staff or technical water specialists responsible for water management, and relevant corporate staff. This guide lays out three key elements for setting effective site water targets:

  1. Water targets should respond to priority water challenges within the catchment;
  2. The ambition of water targets should be informed by the site’s contribution to water challenges and desired conditions; and
  3. Water targets should reduce water risk, capitalize on opportunities, and contribute to public sector priorities.

Site water targets are often derived from company-wide targets that are focused on total water use, water efficiency, and/or water quality and may not include other water challenges such as access to safe and affordable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). As such, targets may not address the local water challenges most relevant to the site.

In most instances, a company acting in isolation will not significantly enhance water security in a catchment. Companies are encouraged to work with other water users to collectively set water targets that are based on a shared understanding of the catchment context and their relative contributions. When this is not achievable in the near term, companies are encouraged to set water targets informed by catchment context to demonstrate leadership to others, while enabling their site(s) to be better prepared and address water challenges.

Continue on with the Guide

  1. World Economic Forum, The Global Risks Report 2019. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risks_Report_2019.pdf.
  2. In 2018, forty-five percent of companies responding to CDP’s investor questionnaire reported setting water targets at the site or facility level.

CEO Water Mandate

UN Global Compact | Pacific Institute

ceowatermandate@unglobalcompact.org

About the Mandate

  • Mission & Governance
  • Endorsing Companies
  • Strategic Partners
  • Focus Areas & Working Groups
  • FAQs
  • News

Mandate Resources

  • Water Stewardship Academy
  • Water Stewardship Toolbox
  • Water Action Hub
  • Newsletter
Tweets by H2O_stewards

United Nations | Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Copyright

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
  • Guidance
    • Guide to Setting Site Water Targets Informed by Catchment Context
    • About
    • Element 1: Prioritize
    • Element 2: Target Ambition
    • Element 3: Reduce, Capitalize, Contribute
    • Conclusion
    • Resources
    • Download Full Guide (PDF)
  • Case Studies
    • Noyyal-Bhavani (India) Case Study – PDF
    • Santa Ana (USA) Case Study – PDF
    • Upper Vaal, Berg, and Breede (South Africa) Case Study – PDF
  • Tools and Resources
  • FAQ