From Scarcity to Abundance: Business Solutions for a Water Constrained
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From Scarcity to Abundance: Business Solutions for a Water Constrained World SHAPE SUPPORTERS This project was made possible through the support of CCC’s Environment Program Network. INTRODUCTION 3: INFRASTRUCTURE AND INVESTMENT 3 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Corporate Citizenship Center 29 Forest Trends Ecosystem Marketplace Private Sector Solutions for Securing a Sustainable Water Future Water Stewardship Looks “Beyond the Fence” 31 Sealed Air 1: CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY Water Recycling: How Business and Community Leaders Work Together to Make Water Recycling a Reality 7 Dell 33 Freeport-McMoRan Inc. A Blueprint for Water Conservation in the Supply Chain Community Engagement Key to Developing New Sources of Water for Freeport-McMoRan’s Cerro Verde Mine in Peru 9 MGM Resorts International Water Conservation and Collaboration in the Desert City 35 Trucost Investing in Sustainable Water Use to Enable Business Growth 11 MillerCoors Better Barley, Better Beer 4: RECYCLING AND REUSE 13 Nestlé Waters North America Achieving Sustainable Results through Collective Action 39 ConocoPhillips Co. Freshwater Conservation through Produced Water Recycling 15 Walmart Promoting a Quality Water Supply through Efficiency and Conservation 41 RRS Disappearing Act: Are On-Site “Waste to Water” Digesters the Silver Bullet for Institutional Food Waste? 17 Hilton Water and Hospitality: How Hilton Is Working to Reduce its Water Footprint 43 USG Corporation Wallboard Systems Innovation: The Circular Economy in Action 19 GSK Reducing our Water Impact 45 Xylem Inc. Recent Survey Shows Solid Support for Potable Water Reuse in California 2: ENERGY-WATER NEXUS 5: TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION 23 The Dow Chemical Company TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE The Water Imperative: Securing Sustainable Growth in a Water-Stressed World 49 CH2M Wet Weather Flow Management 25 Ecolab Nalco Water Leverages 3D TRASAR™ Technology for Cooling Water to Optimize Cooling 53 Intel Corporation Tower Water Use in Northwestern Mexico Power Plant Preparing for Water Scarcity: A Tech Company’s Approach 55 Pentair Water Management Solutions for the Global Food and Beverage Industry, from Farm to Table 57 Veolia North America Sustainable Management of Produced Water for Chevron’s San Ardo Oil Field FROM SCARCITY TO ABUNDANCE: INTRODUCTION Business Solutions for a Water Constrained World Private Sector Solutions for Securing a Sustainable Water Future By Jennifer Gerholdt, Senior Director, Environment, Corporate Citizenship Center, U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Water is essential to support all life on Earth, live without sufficient access to freshwater for at whether for drinking, cleaning, irrigating crops, or least one month out of the year, according to Science manufacturing the goods and services we depend Advances. More than half of the world’s cities and on every day. Yet, businesses, communities, and three-fourths of irrigated farms experience water countries across the globe are running out of this shortages on a regular basis. precious, finite resource. A rapidly growing population; increasing demand from According to the United Nations, the world will face cities, agriculture, and industry; shifting diets; greater a 40% shortfall in freshwater in as soon as 15 years demand for energy; and intensification of extreme under the current scenario. Already, approximately weather events are fueling water shortages globally. 66% of the world’s population, or 4 billion people, The private sector increasingly recognizes water as • MGM Resorts International: Leverage a wide a critical resource for long-term business growth range of process and technology improvements, and profitability, and recognizes the need to develop including water-smart landscaping and drip irrigation comprehensive water management strategies and systems, to conserve and reclaim water. initiatives as water scarcity becomes the new normal • The Dow Chemical Company: Deploy for many parts of the world. membrane technology to reduce high energy and cost burden associated with water purification, and At the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation advance innovative collaboration to get the most Corporate Citizenship Center, we showcase out of every drop. innovative approaches to help solve the global water challenge. Companies are implementing solutions Additionally, we are pleased to include perspectives within their fence lines and in communities to help from some of our other partners, such as Forest fight water scarcity. Examples in this report include Trends and Trucost, that are contributing thought the following: leadership, tools, and resources to help companies develop new approaches for managing water. • CH2M: Deploy smart technology and advanced data analytics so local water utilities can improve We hope you find this report valuable in providing their response and minimize wet weather fresh thinking and examples of innovative and overflows into the environment. scalable solutions for securing a sustainable water • Intel Corporation: Treat and return future for all. approximately 80% of the water it uses back to municipal water treatment operations for reuse by local communities. 3 • U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Corporate Citizenship Center 2016 • 4 CHAPTER 1: CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY FROM SCARCITY TO ABUNDANCE: CHAPTER ONE: CONSERVATION AND EFFICIENCY Business Solutions for a Water Constrained World A Blueprint for Water Conservation in the Supply Chain By Jennifer Allison, Vice President, Global Supply Chain Sustainability, Dell According to the World Economic Forum, water We also work closely with our suppliers to reduce crisis is in the top five global risks of highest concern the overall environmental footprint of our operations, for the next 10 years. Growing demand, pollution, of which water use is an important element. We inefficient use of freshwater, and climate change have launched our water risk mitigation initiative in 2014 contributed to increased water shortages and risks. by conducting a “water hotspot survey” with over At Dell Technologies, we are committed to putting our 200 suppliers to gather data on their water usage, technology and expertise to work where they can do conservation strategies, costs, local laws, and other the most good for people and the planet—and we critical pieces of information. In support of our goal are constantly looking to innovate our products and to reduce the water use intensity of our products, operations to improve the world in which we all live. we require key production suppliers and select service suppliers to develop five-year water risk As part of our 2020 Legacy of Good plan, Dell is mitigation plans. We are rolling out this requirement working to reduce our water use in water-stressed to 50 suppliers each year, and by 2020 we will have regions by 20%. While Dell’s direct water use is collected detailed water plans from 250 supplier relatively limited—approximately 1.4 million cubic facilities; we’ll then commence a refresh cycle of 50 meters of water was used worldwide in Dell- facilities per year thereafter. operated facilities in 2015 (the same amount that flows over Niagara Falls in 11 minutes)—we are In 2015, we selected the first 50 suppliers with the introducing closed-loop and rainwater collection highest water consumption, and provided them with training series and plan development, we have also our end goal is to help develop a multi-partner systems to minimize drawing from local sources. sophisticated training on how to develop robust invited two standout suppliers from the first round to program and supply chain for the use of ocean-bound In Brazil, a rainwater collection system enabled and impactful water conservation strategies. We share their experiences and best practices with the plastics as a viable alternative to virgin plastic. our manufacturing facility to collect and reuse are leveraging expertise from organizations such second round of suppliers. approximately 320 cubic meters of water for irrigation as Business for Social Responsibility, Shanghai We are excited about the engagement model that in 2015. Academy of Environmental Sciences, Alliance for In order to keep moving toward the circular we have built around the critical sustainability issue Water Stewardships, and Veolia to provide input and economy model that must flourish in the 21st of water conservation and efficiency in our supply insight into the development of these plans. After century, we need to continue to develop innovative chain. By implementing a framework for action that those suppliers submitted the first round of plans, processes, materials, and products that use fewer incorporates capability building, supplier networking, our environmental experts provided feedback on virgin resources. Beyond our supply chain water and strategic planning, we have established a how consumption strategies could be improved. conservation strategies, we are also investigating how blueprint for continual improvement and innovation By closely reviewing the first round of water plans, Dell can play a role in cleaning up watershed basin in our products, operations, and throughout our we were able to identify 179 water efficiency areas in stressed regions. We are exploring options to value chain. We welcome a more active conversation opportunities, with potential to save 2,734,700 address the presence of plastic material in oceans and among businesses on product and process innovation cubic liters of water per year. These suppliers are freshwater sources through a pilot