AWS Strategy 2022-2030

Accelerating Impact:

The Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Global Strategy 2022-2030, outlines how we will continue to work towards three goals, Influence, Inclusion and Impact, by focusing our resources in igniting and nurturing adoption of water stewardship in value chain hubs – locations on which international companies rely heavily for production and sourcing.

We will focus on the two most meaningful scales in advancing water stewardship: global – from where production and sourcing decisions are primarily made, and local – where the water-related impacts of production and sourcing are felt.

What is water stewardship?

Water stewardship is the use of water that is socially and culturally equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial, achieved through a stakeholder-inclusive process that includes both site- and catchment-based actions.

Who we are

Our role is to be a leader and convenor for water stewardship

We provide water users with a credible standard system that sets out what leadership in stewardship requires. We convene a multi-stakeholder alliance of implementers and thematic experts to advance this system through shared learning, problem solving and constructive dialogues.

Central to the AWS definition of water stewardship are transparent multi-stakeholder processes that ensure all those who depend on water from the same source can meet their needs and work together for a water-resilient future. Through nurturing these relationships based on trust, understanding and a common vision, AWS water stewardship supports public policy and recognises leadership through independently validated assessments.

Our Vision

A water-secure world that enables people. cultures, business and nature to prosper, now and in the future.

Our Mission

We ignite and nurture global and local leadership in credible Water Stewardship that recognises and secures the social, cultural, environmental and economic value of freshwater.

Our goals

Influence

AWS, our Members and partners are a powerful driving force for change and scale in the adoption of water stewardship.

Inclusion

AWS water stewardship and its benefits are accessible for all.

Impact

AWS water stewardship drives and supports positive change in water stressed catchments.

Our outcomes

The AWS Membership community is informed, energised and committed to multi-stakeholder participation in water stewardship.

Scaled adoption of the AWS Standard creates positive impact for diverse local stakeholders in value chain hubs.

Knowledge and learning created from adoption of the AWS Standard in value chain hubs drives new commitments.

Our priorities

AWS inspires commitments to scaled adoption of the AWS Standard in value chain hubs.

AWS ensures the commitments in value chain hubs can be realised and are leveraged to grow participation by diverse local stakeholders.

AWS has a continually improving knowledge and evidence base for stewardship in value chain hubs.

Igniting and nurturing leadership around value chain hubs

While maintaining sufficient agility to respond to demand where it emerges, we will focus the initial years of this strategy period on deepening engagement with businesses in four priority sectors:

Agricultural supply chains
Food and beverage manufacturing
Microelectronics
Textiles and apparel

Over time, we will evaluate and act upon opportunities in other sectors where we can achieve impact. At all times, the AWS Standard System will remain open and accessible for all business sectors as it will for public and civil society actors.

Ensuring a prosperous and sustainable future for people and planet requires responsible and inclusive stewardship of water – a critical and limited resource.

This is our strategy through to 2030, the end-date for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It sets out how we will ignite and nurture water stewardship in value chain hubs, accelerating impact for communities, ecosystems and economies.

Accelerating Impact: