SP Publishes Water Stewardship Strategy Framework for Automotive Value Chain

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) – an association of global automakers and their suppliers working together to advance environmental sustainability through the automotive supply chain – today announced the publication of a new guidance document, the "Water Stewardship Strategy Framework".

The guidance document introduces a strategic framework and industry-driven water stewardship ambition that individual companies in the automotive value chain may align with and act on. The document also identifies key drivers for water stewardship action, highlights why companies in the automotive value chain should address water challenges and opportunities, and identifies potential specific water stewardship outcomes companies can address within their stage of the value chain.

The guidance document was prepared for SP by The Water Council, an internationally acclaimed nonprofit organization dedicated to freshwater innovation and water stewardship. The document was developed through a collaborative process including feedback and engagement from the members of SP's Water Stewardship Work Group, which is co-chaired by Andy Hobbs of Ford Motor Company and Mark Yamauchi of Toyota Motor North America.

This new guidance builds on a Water Stewardship Action Matrix published by SP in 2022 in collaboration with The Water Council as part of a multi-phase SP water stewardship initiative for the automotive industry. The Action Matrix is intended as a first step in helping automotive companies build comprehensive water stewardship programs and outlines recommended actions so that suitable data, information and risk assessment processes are in place if and when companies choose to directly mitigate water-related risks and report those actions and outcomes to key external stakeholders.

"When applied to many organizations across a sector, like the automotive sector, enterprise-wide water stewardship concepts can help inform the actions and ambitions for each company therein. Building on the key concepts of water stewardship, this sectoral water strategy framework demonstrates SP's leadership while guiding companies toward collective action as each seeks to identify and mitigate water-related risks and address key challenges and opportunities shared across the sector," said Matt Howard, Vice President, Water Stewardship at The Water Council.

"At every stage of the automotive value chain, water is both an operational input and an asset that conveys value to companies in the sector and the communities in which they operate. In recognition of key water-related risks and opportunities across the value chain, SP partnered with The Water Council to develop this Water Stewardship Strategy Framework and we are committed to working collaboratively with our members to engage companies in the automotive value chain in support of this water stewardship ambition," said Kellen Mahoney, Director at the Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP).

The guidance document is available to download at no cost at: https://www.supplierspartnership.org/water-strategy-framework/ 

About SP
The Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP) provides a forum for global automotive manufacturers and their suppliers to work together toward a shared vision of an automotive industry with positive environmental impact. Through SP, automotive industry leaders are coming together to share best practices and advance action on key environmental sustainability priorities such as carbon neutrality, sustainable materials management and water stewardship. Learn more at: www.supplierspartnership.org

About TWC
The Water Council is a global hub dedicated to solving critical water challenges by driving innovation in freshwater technology and advancing water stewardship. Built on more than a century of water innovation, it has coalesced one of the most concentrated water technology clusters in the world from its headquarters at the Global Water Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Recognizing the need for smarter and more sustainable use of water worldwide, The Water Council also promotes water stewardship as a natural complement to water innovation.

Contact: Kellen Mahoney, [email protected]

SOURCE Suppliers Partnership for the Environment (SP)