Empowering businesses to lead on water stewardship

When we think about sustainability, water can sometimes be overlooked over other emission sources such as energy. However, there is huge potential to reduce water use, which would help to protect supplies and contribute to companies’ wider sustainability targets. We’ve been exploring a practical and effective way that can help to achieve this goal.

This piece draws on insights from Yorkshire Water, who we’ve been working with alongside expert consultants, 20FIFTY Partners to equip businesses to implement effective water management strategies. After having one of the driest, warmest springs on record, businesses - with our support - have a powerful role to play in water security and water stewardship is an effective way to ensure businesses are adopting water management strategies that reduce water wastage – helping to deliver cost savings and environmental efficiencies.

What is the water stewardship programme?

Water is one of our most precious, and increasingly pressured, resources.  It’s easy to take it for granted, but behind every product, service, and supply chain is a hidden water footprint. Alongside @20FIFTY Partners, we’ve developed a water stewardship programme to help businesses understand their impact and take meaningful action to protect this vital resource.

Our Head of Account Management, Stephen Sheridan, shared his thoughts about water stewardship:

“Our water stewardship programme has been developed to provide businesses with a clear framework to understand their water usage across their estate and identify and deliver savings. By adopting better water management practices, organisations can reduce risks, support their sustainability goals and achieve long-term operational and financial benefits.”

“The programme enables customers to fully understand the impact their activities have on their water catchment and guides them towards an understanding of the true cost of water across their sites. All learning takes place on a peer-to-peer basis, allowing participants to share experience and insight from across different industries and sectors.”

Having already run a successful pilot, the water regulator’s Market Improvement Fund awarded funding for the programme to be run in Yorkshire at the start of this year. The programme was delivered by Business Stream and 20FIFTY Partners and supported by Yorkshire Water.

CEO of 20FIFTY Partners, Ken Stockil, said:

“As well as providing well needed training, this is a platform for businesses to share knowledge, develop meaningful strategies and achieve tangible improvements in water management. We’ve successfully been delivering this programme in Ireland for several years to over 600 large water users and we’re delighted to be working with Business Stream, most recently in the Yorkshire region, to support UK-based businesses to achieve water efficiencies across their estates.”

Why now is the time for water stewardship

Recently, we spoke with Yorkshire Water about their thoughts on water stewardship and what it means to them.

Mitch Yeoman-Boldry, Market Integration and Improvement Manager at Yorkshire Water, said:

“The water stewardship programme goes beyond simply raising awareness. It provides certified training, practical tools and ongoing support to help organisations understand their water usage, assess risks and build long-term resilience.

“With climate change and population growth placing increasing pressure on the UK’s water supply, this initiative couldn’t be more timely. It equips businesses with the knowledge, resources and confidence to take meaningful action. We believe this is a vital step toward a more water-secure UK, especially as hotter, drier weather becomes the new normal.

“Water stewardship isn’t just about reducing usage; it’s about understanding risk, planning for the future and contributing to a broader movement for sustainability. This kind of leadership sets a powerful example of what water stewardship can look like, how it can help businesses adapt to climate challenges and why it matters now more than ever.

“We’re proud to have supported the first Yorkshire-based cohort of the Water Stewardship Programme in partnership with Business Stream and 20FIFTY Partners. By acting now, we’re collectively not only protecting future water supplies, but also building more sustainable, future-ready operations."

Business-led water stewardship

As the climate continues to shift and water pressures intensify, it's clear that water stewardship can play a key role in the delivery of sustainability strategies. The water stewardship programme offers a practical, forward-thinking framework for businesses to understand their water impact, reduce risk and build resilience.

Find out more

Whether you're just beginning your sustainability journey or looking to deepen your impact, water stewardship is not just an opportunity, it's a necessity. To find out more, visit our solutions page.

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