ISO 14046 Water footprint – Principles, requirements and guidelines
Water use and management is a key consideration for any organization in light of growing demand for resources and increasing water scarcity. Water management is required at local, regional and global levels – and this also requires a consistent assessment technique. ISO 14046 is the new standard for water footprinting that will provide this consistency and give water footprint results credibility.
What is ISO 14046?
This is the international standard that specifies the principles, requirements and guidelines of assessing and reporting water footprints. This applies to products, processes and organizations and is based on life cycle assessment. ISO 14046 provides requirements and guidance for calculating and reporting a water footprint as a standalone assessment – or as part of a wider environmental assessment.
What is a water footprint?
A water footprint is a way of assessing not only water use but potential environmental impacts related to water. And BS ISO 14046 can be conducted and reported as a stand-alone assessment (where only potential environmental impacts related to water are assessed) or as part of a life cycle assessment (where consideration is given to all relevant potential environmental impacts, and not only those related to water).
What are the benefits of ISO 14046?
- Assess and prepare for the future risks to your water use
- Identify ways to reduce the environmental impacts of your water use
- Improve efficiency at product, process and organizational levels
- Share knowledge and best practice with industry and government
- Meet customer expectations of increased environmental responsibility