Federation House Commitment - Progress Report: 2009

Water a precious resource

The Federation House Commitment aims to make a significant contribution to an industry-wide target to reduce water use, excluding that embedded in products, by 20% by 2020 against a 2007 baseline.

Water is a critical resource for any business, but particularly for food and drink manufacturing companies where food safety and hygiene issues are of paramount importance.

It is also becoming an increasingly expensive resource. Supply alone can cost a business many thousands of pounds a year and other factors such as wastewater disposal are also pushing up costs dramatically.

By taking action to improve their water efficiency, food and drink manufacturers that have not previously examined their water consumption can expect to make savings on water and effluent bills of up to 30%.

In addition, the availability of water in the UK is increasingly becoming an issue. Identified as one of the 'Top Five Risks'[2] to mankind this century, alongside soaring food prices and dwindling energy reserves, water supplies are already being stretched.

A good way for a business to protect itself from potential water restrictions in the future is to reduce the water it uses now. Water efficiency measures should therefore be integral to any business that seeks to improve its sustainability and efficiency, not only to protect the natural environment but also the interests of its stakeholders.

Increasingly, companies are choosing to report their performance on water consumption publicly, highlighting the growing awareness and importance placed on water issues.

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