NAT.B09.EB Water Withdrawal Reduction Target
About the data
This metric was designed by The World Benchmarking Alliance, more information can be found here. Sources and Alignments for each indicator can be found here as well as the scoring guidelines here
The World Benchmarking Alliance's Nature Benchmark measures and ranks the world's most influential companies on their efforts to protect our environment and its biodiversity.
This metric relates to the Indicator: The company reduces water withdrawal across the most material parts of its value chain.
Rationale: One-fifth of the world's river basins are experiencing significant changes in surface water available in the last five years (UN Water, 2021). Increasing exploitation of water resources is likely to lead to disruptions in ecosystem services in terms of renewing and purifying water resources. This indicator is aligned with the SBTN interim target to reduce water withdrawal in the most material parts of the value chain in line with environmental flow needs by 2030.
Methodology
WBA analysed all publicly available group-level disclosure in English on the applicable group website, which was predominantly annual reports and sustainability reports. Draft assessments were then sent to each company inviting them to provide feedback. This feedback could include additional publicly available group disclosure published. These were then reviewed and finalised. Final assessments were then shared with each company before being published online.
For this metric the company's targets must show absolute reduction for water use. Targets tied to intensity, production, or profit does not count. Targeting specific areas (such as water stressed areas) do not count. Targets aimed at maintaining withdrawal levels does not count. For this iteration of the benchmark, we accept water consumption for this element.