Green business water suppliers: An ESG opportunity

Firstly, there is an increasing awareness among consumers and investors that companies need to operate sustainably and responsibly to ensure long-term success. As such, adopting ESG practices can enhance a company's reputation and attract ethical investors.

Secondly, companies recognise the benefits of minimising their environmental impact, reducing waste, and conserving natural resources, which can lead to cost savings and operational efficiencies.

Finally, implementing socially responsible practices can also improve employee morale, retention, and productivity.

This article explores a new ESG opportunity available to business decision-makers: Green water suppliers.

The high-quality water that comes reliably and cheaply out of our taps comes at a significant environmental cost.  The British water industry directly produces a surprising quantity of greenhouse gases for two reasons:

• To move water around the mains infrastructure and maintain pressure requires a large number of pumps.Pumps use electricity that is still generated by burning fossil fuels. In fact, 3% of the UK’s electricity output goes to this purpose.
• To treat sewage, water companies use bacteria to break down all organic waste. The process produces water that is clean enough to return to rivers but also releases strong greenhouse gases such as methane and nitrous oxide into the atmosphere.

To tackle these problems, business water suppliers are now offering a solution: A green business water tariff.

In a green water tariff, a supplier will offset the greenhouse emissions associated with your water supply through investment in carbon-negative projects, like planting forests or installing solar panels.

In England, the market for business water suppliers is deregulated, allowing companies to choose their supplier of water services. Over 20 licenced business water suppliers now compete to offer the cheapest and best service.

Find out how much your business could save with a green water tariff by using the AquaSwitch business water comparison service to get quotes from across the market.