Supply Chain Water Management Critical to Mitigate Risks

Companies throughout the world are becoming increasingly concerned about the quality and quantity of the water resources that support their business processes. So, it's no surprise that we are starting to hear more and more about ways that organizations are working to mitigate water risks in their supply chains.

Just last week, San Francisco-based Climate Earth launched what it calls "the first cradle-to-gate solution for managing direct and indirect water usage." According to the company, this environmental business intelligence system provides:


visibility for external reporting,


internal resource management,


CSR reports, and


analysis capability for supplier ranking, stake holder engagement and reduction initiatives.


Smart water management is quickly becoming a key business imperative. Some regions of the world are already facing significant water shortages, and the impacts of depleted water resources will be far-reaching. Certainly, the US will not be immune. Last year, a report from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) showed that by 2050, 14 US states will be facing an extreme or high risk to water sustainability, or are likely to see limitations on water availability.

Unfortunately, though, few companies are aware of their own water consumption, let alone the water used in their supply chains and that's why supply chain water management should be high on your priority list.

Water footprint assessments provide valuable insights into water use throughout the supply chain, including both direct and indirect water use and the impacts of use on local watersheds and communities. Those insights can then open new opportunities for companies to enhance their water stewardship, while mitigating the risks associated with water scarcity.