Water is a scarce resource and in certain activities and areas of the world water shortages pose a threat. For this reason, there is increasing awareness of the need to improve water management. The verification of the Water Footprint by an independent third party, in accordance with globally accepted benchmarks, allows for the accurate calculation of how much water is needed to produce a product or provide a service, ensuring that the information is exact, coherent and transparent.
The Water Footprint is a global indicator of the appropriation of fresh water resources. For products, a water footprint is defined as the volume of water consumed both directly during the manufacturing process and indirectly throughout the supply chain. In order to manage water correctly, it must be known exactly how much water is needed to manufacture a product, provide a service or for an organisation to perform an activity.
There are two principal standards of reference for the calculation and management of the Water Footprint: the Water Footprint Network for the calculation and management of the Water Footprint, and ISO standard 14046 for the calculation and assessment of the Water Footprint. While the Water Footprint Network focuses on measuring the amount of water consumed, the Water Footprint offers an assessment of the associated environmental impact based on life cycle assessment (LCA).
The objective of the verification of the Water Network and the Water Footprint is to provide interested parties with a professional and independent opinion on the information and data obtained under the chosen scheme.
Water footprints apply to products, services, organisations, buildings and events. They are particularly important for the food and agriculture sector and others whose activities place a heavy demand on water resources.
AENOR offers this verification service, which can be integrated into a voluntary verification scheme in accordance with UNE-ISO 14046 and the Water Footprint Network benchmark. The verification activity can also coincide with carbon footprint verifications or Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), as well as audits on environmental management systems ISO 14001 or quality management systems ISO 9001.
Irrespective of the scheme employed, a water footprint assessment can be used to help perform studies on the risks associated with the strategic use of water with a view to reducing consumption, impact and disputes arising from water use. Enabling water to be used efficiently and optimising water management as regards products, processes and organisation. Providing consistent and reliable information based on scientific evidence in order to issue a water footprint report.
AENOR supports the actions performed by organisations with respect to calculating, reducing and offsetting water use.
If the results of the verification are satisfactory, the organisation will obtain the status:
AENOR Mark Calculated Water Footprint
AENOR Mark Verified Water Footprint
AENOR has granted Estrella Levante a water footprint verification certificate of conformity through the Water Footprint Network for its brewery in Murcia.
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