MILWAUKEE, WI, June 18, 2014 -- Today, the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), a global collaboration of leaders in sustainable water resource management, announced an agreement with The Water Council to represent AWS in North America. Further, this builds on recent commitments from top corporations, including Nestlé and General Mills, to support the company, as well as on the recent launch of the AWS International Water Stewardship Standard.
AWS has strong roots in Wisconsin, with contributions such as funding, expertise and test piloting from the following leaders: A.O. Smith, Badger Meter, Bucyrus International (now Caterpillar), Diversey (now Sealed Air), MillerCoors, Quad/Graphics, Spirit of Milwaukee Foundation, Veolia North America, and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.
The Nature Conservancy, an international conservation organization that co-founded AWS, has engaged companies, utilities and other stakeholders in developing and testing the Standard in North America.
"The AWS Standard provides an unprecedented, comprehensive approach for businesses and communities to demonstrate water stewardship while working to ensure we have enough water for people and nature, today and in the future," said Lisa Wojnarowski Downes, The Nature Conservancy's director of freshwater stewardship in North America & AWS North America coordinator.
Dean Amhaus, president & CEO of The Water Council, added, "The Water Council has had close relations with AWS from its early days of development, and we are now enthusiastic to be able to work directly with this vital international organization. The AWS standard comes at a critical time as clean freshwater becomes a growing scarcity, and we are confident that the Council and our members will help with its implementation."
The AWS Standard was designed to align with other sustainability initiatives and support independent certification. AWS builds on the success of other voluntary standards such as the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED).
To encourage understanding and engagement around water, AWS is launching a training program and membership opportunities. By joining AWS and the Water Council, organizations can learn how to help protect the water we depend on for life and shape the way it is used today and in the future.
See also:
"WI opens first-of-its-kind water business, research facility addressing world water challenges"
"Water stewardship initiative to develop LEED-style program for water conservation"
About the Alliance for Water Stewardship
The Alliance for Water Stewardship is a multi-stakeholder organization dedicated to enhancing water stewardship capacity, and guiding, incentivizing and differentiating responsible water use. AWS employs three mutually-reinforcing programs to drive improved water stewardship: a standard and verification system, membership of a multi-stakeholder association, and training. Together, these programs are designed to build capacity and provide a forum through which knowledge on water stewardship can be generated, accessed and shared, helping us to address our shared water challenges. At the heart of all three programs is the stakeholder-endorsed AWS Standard. For more information, visit www.allianceforwaterstewardship.org.
About The Water Council
Created by leaders in both business and education, The Water Council is convening the region’s existing water companies and research clusters, developing education programs to train talent, and building partnerships that cut across all sectors and geographic boundaries. The Water Council believes it can advance Milwaukee’s global position by becoming a magnet that attracts creative talent, innovative ideas and is recognized as a World Water Hub for research, education and economic development. For more information, visit www.thewatercouncil.com.
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