Water stewardship

Water stewardship is the use of water that is socially equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial, achieved through a stakeholder inclusive process that operates at the scale of the river catchment. The underlying idea is that no company can manage water well in isolation: water is a shared resource, and risks and impacts occur at catchment level, not at the factory gate.

This concept goes beyond simple water efficiency. Cutting consumption inside facilities is necessary but not sufficient: water stewardship also requires understanding the catchment, collaborating with other users, protecting aquatic ecosystems and contributing to the water governance of the territory.

The AWS standard

The reference framework is the International Water Stewardship Standard from the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), a global alliance that defines the principles and requirements an organisation must meet to demonstrate responsible water management at a site. In March 2026, AWS released version 3.0 of the standard, which streamlines requirements and strengthens its integration with corporate sustainability reporting frameworks.

The AWS standard organises action around several outcomes: good water governance, sustainable water balance, good status of water related areas in the catchment, good water quality and safe access to water and sanitation. Certification is carried out per site and on the basis of a catchment analysis.

Stewardship versus water footprint

The water footprint measures how much water is used and where; water stewardship is the management response to that measurement. A company first quantifies its footprint and its water risk, and then applies stewardship to reduce that risk collaboratively. The two concepts complement each other: without data there is no credible stewardship, and without stewardship the data does not turn into action.

Link with ESG reporting

Water stewardship is increasingly tied to corporate disclosure. Initiatives such as CDP Water Disclosure ask companies to report how they manage water in stressed areas, and many adopt commitments such as water neutrality or catchment replenishment. Demonstrating water stewardship strengthens the water security of operations and credibility with investors and regulators.

How to get started

Implementing water stewardship usually follows these steps: understand the catchment and shared risks, measure the water footprint of the site, set targets consistent with the local context, collaborate with other users and authorities, and report results transparently.

Measure and manage your water with Manglai

Water stewardship starts with understanding your real water impact. Manglai helps you measure your water footprint and prioritise where to act across your value chain. Talk to our team.