The Alliance for Water Stewardship Beta International Water Stewardship Standard provides a roadmap for companies and utilities to follow towards sustainable water use. Participants will learn about the Alliance, how the Standard can help transform water management, and how to help improve the Standard before it is finalized in 2014. This presentation was given by Ed Pinero, Chief Sustainability Officer, Veolia Water North America.

1. AWS and the Beta International
Water Stewardship Standard
September 2013
© Juan Pratginestos / WWFCanon

2. © Martin Harvey / WWF-Canon
Water Stewardship
The use of water that is
socially equitable,
environmentally sustainable
and economically beneficial,
achieved through a
stakeholder-inclusive
process that involves siteand catchment-based
actions.

3. © Robert Delfs / WWF-Canon
Why build a Standard?
To address the need for…
• International consistency
around a definition of what
constitutes “responsible”
water stewardship
• Recognition of leaders
• Option for companies to
validate claims and protect
their brands

4. Why would a site want to
use the AWS Standard?
• Save money
• Limit liability
• Mitigate supply chain water risk
• Increase client loyalty & grow
“eco-focused” customers
• Differentiate brand
• Address remaining water risks
when all site-level options have
been exhausted
© WWF-Canon / Simon Rawles

6. The Landscape of Water Stewardship:
Information, Tools & Programs
COMMIT
COMMUNICATE
&
DISCLOSE
GATHER
&
PROCESS
EVALUATE
PLAN
IMPLEMENT

7. Standard
Development
Process
Regions
(1-­‐3
individuals
from
each)
Interna<onal
Standard
Development
CommiKee
Africa
Asia
Pacific
(Oceania)
Central
Asia
(Russia,
Middle
East)
Europe
LaEn
America
&
the
Caribbean
North
America
(US
&
Canada)
Northern
Asia
(China
+)
Southern
Asia
(India
+)
Stakeholder
Groups
(5
individuals
in
each)
Business
&
Water
Service
Providers
(includes
business
interests,
farmers,
trade
associaEons
and
other
Standard
users)
Civil
Society
Organiza<ons
(includes
community-­‐based
organizaEons,
indigenous
groups,
and
social/environmental
non-­‐
governmental
organizaEons)
Public
Sector
Agencies
(includes
river
basin
commissions,
mulElateral
agencies,
UN
organizaEons
and
local
authoriEes)

8. © Brent Stirton / Getty Images / WWF
First Draft Standard
• Launched at World Water Forum
• Over 400 comments received
from stakeholders in 26 countries
• Stakeholder consultation events
across the globe
• Desktop field trials conducted

9. STEP 1: COMMIT
• Leadership commitment
• Water stewardship policy

10. STEP 2: GATHER &
UNDERSTAND
• Physical scope
• Socio-economic scope
• Regulatory requirements
• Site & catchment water balance
• Site & catchment water quality
• Site & catchment IWRA
• Begin on indirect water use
• Identify catchment plan
• Analyze water impacts & risks

11. STEP 3: PLAN
• Ensure legal compliance system
• Water stewardship plan
• Notify catchment authority of
your plans

12. STEP 4: IMPLEMENT
• Comply with legal requirements
• Maintain/improve site
water balance
• Maintain/improve site
water quality
• Maintain/improve site IWRAs
• Participate in catchment
governance
• Drive improved indirect water
use in the catchment

13. STEP 5: EVALUATE
• Evaluate performance against
plan
• Evaluate emergency incidents
• Consult stakeholders on
performance
• Update water stewardship plan

14. STEP 6:
COMMUNICATE &
DISCLOSE
• Disclose internal water
governance
• Disclose annual water plans
• Disclose annual water-related
impacts, risks and opportunities
• Disclose compliance
• Increase water awareness within
your site

15. Field Testing the
Beta AWS Standard
Phase
I
Desk
Studies
and
early
tesEng
CommiQed
Sites
Sites
under
discussion
Water
AcEon
Hubs

16. © Frans Schepers / WWF-Netherlands
How can you get
involved?
• Review and comment on the
AWS Beta International Water
Stewardship Standard
• Pilot the Beta standard at a
facility
• Help develop future AWS
organizational governance
• Help develop region and sectorspecific implementation
guidance
• Support AWS through in-kind
or financial donations

17. Thank
you!
www.allianceforwaterstewardship.org
Lisa
Wojnarowski
Downes
AWS-­‐North
America
Coordinator
The
Nature
Conservancy
ldownes@tnc.org
414/248-­‐8095
Edwin
Pinero;
ISDC
Member
Chief
Sustainability
Officer
Veolia
Environnement
North
America
ed.pinero@veoliana.com
267/207-­‐9622
June 2013
© Juan Pratginestos / WWFCanon