Alliance for Water Stewardship Priority Sectors
Water challenges exist throughout technology and microelectronics (tech) supply chains and vary greatly depending on location. Water risks to a data centre or printed circuit board factory will be distinct in different parts of the world. Water stewardship allows businesses to build resilience to these water challenges in the tech supply chain and to work collaboratively to overcome them.
Water-related challenges for the tech sector span from physical risks such as pollution, flooding and water scarcity, to reputational and regulatory concerns.
Tech supply chains are highly interwoven. Many national and multinational brands source from the same suppliers who are often clustered together in intensive industrial settings, mostly within cities and urban areas.
When it comes to sustainability and water stewardship, businesses need to view water risks and opportunities as shared across the tech sector. This will enable them to develop consistent responses to help avoid competing demands and maximises benefits for all.
Over 80% of tech supply chain locations face high or very high risk of flooding.
(AWS, 2021)
The clustering of production hubs in the tech sector lends itself to igniting water stewardship action at scale. Find out more about how your organisation can jumpstart water stewardship action through the AWS Collective Action Accelerator by clicking the button below.
Since 2021, AWS has worked closely with the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) to help brands and their suppliers develop a common understanding of water and a shared approach through water stewardship.
Activities have so far included a webinar series that raises awareness of the importance of water throughout the tech sector, and a series of reports outlining the water challenges and opportunities that exist throughout the supply chain.
Read AWS’s report series to learn more about the water-related risks facing the tech sector, and discover how water stewardship can help build resiliency and business continuity. A selection of these reports is also available in Chinese and Japanese.
This short briefing note provides an overview of the risks facing the technology and microelectronics sector and explains why water stewardship can help. It also provides information on how AWS can help support companies on their water stewardship journey and ways to get involved.
In collaboration with the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) and WWF, our first report in the series published on World Water Day 2021, ‘Water risk in the ICT sector: The case for action’, highlights the risk water poses to business continuity and supply chain resilience in the tech sector.
‘Water strategy in the ICT sector: Steps to start your water stewardship journey’, published to coincide with the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA) annual conference (held October 18-19 2022), explores what tech and microelectronics companies can do to address water-related risks and build resiliency.
‘Water Stewardship in Data Centres’ was published in January 2025. The report digs into the water-related challenges technology companies face at their data centres and looks at how one company, Apple, has worked to address these challenges through AWS certification.
“Apple has worked closely with AWS to support the development of content, tools and strategies that enable clusters of companies to undertake shared water activities as a hub.” Kathleen Shaver, Director of Environment and Supply Chain Innovation, Apple With a
“True water stewardship requires collaboration and I am so proud of the work we are doing to motivate others to use water responsibly through our Clean Water Program.” Emily Chen, Program Manager, Apple We spoke to Emily Chen to learn more
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Want to take action on water but not sure where to start? Speak to a member of the AWS team who will help you get started.
