WATER SCARCITY: PROTECTING BUSINESSES
WSP has developed a water footprinting tool to help businesses better understand the water scarcity risks at a local and regional level that could impact upon their operations.
For the best outcomes, WSP advises that the results from any water-footprint diagnosis be shared by the business throughout the product life-cycle, from suppliers through to end users, so that they can be integrated into future strategic planning. The ultimate challenge for companies is to put meaningful programmes in place that help the business to promote long-term operating security and investor confi dence.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is one company that WSP has helped in this way, with our water footprinting tool being used to identify where water use associated with the manufacture and product life of Aquafresh toothpaste is particularly sensitive. During a six-month programme, WSP closely advised GSK on where to focus its efforts on water management.
The tool measured three elements for the toothpaste:
• The water consumed in producing the toothpaste at its UK manufacturing site
• The water usage of the global supply chain components from Europe to the Far East that are used in the production of Aquafresh
• The water used by Aquafresh customers when brushing their teeth – which accounted for 99.7% of the water footprint of each tube of toothpaste.
WSP also identifi ed the future water scarcity impact scenario of the water GSK uses at the manufacturing site and through its supply chain.
Analysis showed that water use when brushing teeth was the most signifi cant contribution to the water footprint. This helped GSK develop a range of online and print publications and retail store campaigns to infl uence consumer behaviour. Specifi cally the work underpinned GSK’s support for the 2010 launch of a “Turn off The Tap” (“Chiudi II Rubinetto”) consumer behaviour programme in Italy. WSP also provided a clear identifi cation of what GSK could directly manage at its production site and the dialogue it could begin with suppliers on water-saving methods, given the water-scarcity implications.
WSP GROUP SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2010 | 19
NEW SERVICES AND NEW MARKETS
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