The Water Economy: The Next Company Footprint: Trend Report: 2026
Water is essential to both consumers and businesses, yet it has historically received less attention within corporate sustainability strategies than issues such as carbon emissions, packaging, and food waste.
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About this report
What this report covers
Water scarcity could create both operational and reputational challenges as consumers and stakeholders place greater scrutiny on how finite resources are managed. Businesses that do not understand how much water they use, where their greatest exposure sits, or how vulnerable suppliers and production locations are to scarcity may struggle to respond as expectations evolve. Waiting until water becomes a major consumer or regulatory concern could leave businesses responding defensively rather than proactively. Poor visibility of water usage and vague sustainability claims may also increase the risk of reputational damage, greenwashing concerns, supply disruption, and future commercial vulnerability in water-stressed markets.
Food and beverage manufacturers, brands, ingredient suppliers, sustainability teams, procurement teams, innovation teams, and business leaders looking to understand their exposure to water scarcity, strengthen resource efficiency, and prepare for water to become a more important measure of corporate responsibility.