Water footprint verification

Fresh water is one of the most valued resources on the planet and its scarcity is already obstructing the living conditions of millions worldwide.   

Establishing environmental neutrality and high sustainable standards has never been as important. A great starting point to meet these goals is assessing the water consumption volume in corporate operations, alongside company and product carbon footprint verification. 

WHAT IS WATER FOOTPRINT VERIFICATION?

The Water Footprint Verification process determines how much freshwater is invested (directly or indirectly) in the production of consumer goods, a process, a service or simply in one corporate or organizational operation.   

The concept was first introduced in the early 2000s by Professor Arjen Hoekstra, part of UNESCO's Institute for Water Education and quickly paved its way to generate organizational framework. Today, there are two benchmark schemes to verify water footprint: the ISO 14046:2014 standard and the Water Footprint Network (WFN), both used to promote conscious water use.   

Thanks to WFP reports and studies, we now know in detail the staggering average amounts of water needed for producing simple things we consume on a daily basis, such as a cup of coffee (130 liters), a regular pizza (1,260 liters) or a liter of soy biodiesel (11,400 liters).    

Through verified water footprint data, companies and consumers can gain awareness about how their actions and purchases affect water consumption levels.   

HOW MANY TYPES OF WATER FOOTPRINT ARE THERE?

• Green water footprint: Volume of rainfall water stored on topsoil and processed by plants. Relevant to agricultural, horticultural and forest products.
• Blue water footprint: Volume of water sourced from surface or groundwater resources or water diversions. Key for irrigation processes in agriculture, industrial operations or household tasks. 
• Grey water footprint: Amount of freshwater needed to absorb pollutants, and meet specific water quality standards.  

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF VERIFYING A COMPANY'S WATER FOOTPRINT?

Water footprint verification can benefit most organizations in the product lifecycle, no matter their type or size. Companies that verify their water footprint can:   

• Identify the exact amount of freshwater they spend in their operations.
• Improve their sustainable brand image, by showing that they’re committed in the fight against climate change.
• Increase potential business opportunities with private and public entities.
• Respond to new customer and investor requests, offering public and truthful information about the environmental impact of their purchases and investments.
• Boost employee motivation due to the positive corporate environmental involvement.
• Generate medium and long-term savings.
• Set a starting point for emission reduction and/or compensation targets. 
• Reinforce their social and environmental liability.
• Prepare themselves to effectively transition into a circular economy    

WHY CHOOSE APPLUS+ LABORATORIES TO VERIFY YOUR COMPANY'S WATER FOOTPRINT?

Applus+ Laboratories is an independent body of recognised prestige both at a national and international level. Our goal is to help organisations to fulfil their commitment to continuous improvement. 

We analyse the needs of our clients in depth so our auditors can carry out the best service possible when verifying your water footprint and we help you to improve your company's reputation and save costs.