Topic: Water
BE02

Water use is environmentally responsible and socially equitable

A Future-Fit Business protects freshwater resources by minimizing water consumption in its commercial and industrial activities, and by ensuring its discharges do not degrade the water quality of receiving watersheds.

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About this goal

Through excessive withdrawals of water, discharge of polluted wastewater, or by adversely affecting the characteristics of any withdrawn water before returning it to nature, a company may undermine the quantity, quality, and availability of water at a local level.

Companies must ensure that their use of water doesn’t undermine the quantity and quality of water available for people and ecosystems that depend on the watersheds concerned.

To be Future-Fit, a company must do two things:

  1. It must minimize – and in water-stressed regions eventually eliminate – its consumption of water for industrial and commercial purposes; and
  2. It must ensure that any discharges do not degrade the quality of the receiving water bodies, the health of receiving soils, or in any other way cause harm to ecosystems or people.

Why this goal is needed

SDGs this will contribute to

Version notes

BE02: Water use is environmentally responsible and socially equitable