Ecolab and CDP Partner on New Benchmarks to Help Companies Improve Operational Water Performance

ST. PAUL, Minn. & LONDON — Global sustainability leader and the world’s leading environmental disclosure platform have announced a landmark partnership aimed at accelerating corporate progress on water stewardship. The collaboration introduces a new set of operational water performance benchmarks designed to help companies measure, manage, and improve how water is used across facilities and value chains.

This initiative responds to escalating global water challenges—from scarcity and quality degradation to rising operational and regulatory risks—that are increasingly affecting businesses across sectors. By aligning robust, science-based benchmarks with practical operational guidance, Ecolab and CDP are empowering organizations to move beyond reporting and toward measurable, real-world water outcomes.

Why Water Performance Has Become a Business Imperative

Water is no longer just an environmental issue; it is a strategic business concern. According to global risk assessments, water scarcity and water-related disruptions rank among the top threats to economic stability and supply chain resilience. Industrial facilities depend on reliable water access for production, cooling, cleaning, and sanitation, making water efficiency and stewardship critical to long-term success.

Yet many companies struggle to translate high-level water commitments into actionable steps at the operational level. Existing disclosures often focus on policies or aggregate data, leaving a gap in understanding how individual sites perform and where improvements are most urgently needed. The new benchmarks developed by Ecolab and CDP are designed to close that gap.

About the Ecolab–CDP Partnership

The partnership brings together two complementary strengths. Ecolab contributes decades of on-the-ground expertise in industrial water management, helping organizations optimize water use, reduce wastewater, and improve efficiency through digital tools and on-site solutions. CDP, meanwhile, provides the world’s most comprehensive environmental disclosure system, enabling investors, customers, and policymakers to assess corporate performance on climate change, forests, and water security.

By collaborating, the two organizations aim to align operational best practices with globally recognized disclosure standards. The result is a common framework that allows companies to benchmark their water performance consistently while gaining actionable insights to drive improvement.

From Disclosure to Performance

A central goal of the initiative is to shift the corporate water conversation from “what do we report?” to “how do we perform?” The new benchmarks integrate operational indicators—such as water intensity, reuse rates, and risk exposure—into CDP’s Water Security questionnaire. This enables companies to demonstrate not only transparency, but tangible progress.

Key Features of the New Water Benchmarks

1. Site-Level Measurement

The benchmarks emphasize site-level data, recognizing that water risks and solutions vary by geography. Facilities operating in water-stressed regions, for example, face different challenges than those in water-abundant areas. By evaluating performance locally, companies can prioritize investments where they matter most.

2. Risk-Based Context

Rather than relying on one-size-fits-all targets, the benchmarks account for basin-level risk. This approach encourages companies to set goals that are both ambitious and relevant to local water conditions, supporting more resilient operations.

3. Action-Oriented Indicators

Metrics focus on outcomes that drive improvement, such as reductions in water withdrawal, increases in reuse and recycling, and improvements in wastewater quality. These indicators are designed to be practical, measurable, and aligned with operational decision-making.

4. Alignment with Global Standards

The benchmarks are consistent with widely recognized frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and emerging regulatory expectations. This alignment helps companies streamline reporting while meeting the needs of investors and stakeholders.

How Companies Benefit from the New Framework

For participating companies, the benefits extend well beyond compliance. By adopting the benchmarks, organizations can:

• Improve operational efficiency by identifying water-saving opportunities that reduce costs.

• Strengthen risk management through better understanding of site-specific water challenges.

• Enhance credibility with investors and customers by demonstrating verified progress.

• Support long-term growth by building resilience against water-related disruptions.

Importantly, the benchmarks also enable peer comparison. Companies can see how their performance stacks up against industry leaders, motivating continuous improvement.

Implications for Investors and Policymakers

Investors are increasingly integrating water risk into capital allocation decisions. The enhanced data generated through CDP’s platform provides clearer insights into which companies are proactively managing water and which may be exposed to future disruptions.

For policymakers, standardized operational benchmarks offer a clearer picture of corporate water use patterns. This transparency can inform smarter regulations, encourage public–private collaboration, and accelerate progress toward regional water security goals.

Supporting the Global Water Transition

The launch of these benchmarks comes at a critical time. Climate change is intensifying droughts, floods, and water variability worldwide. Industrial water use accounts for a significant share of global withdrawals, making corporate action essential to safeguarding freshwater resources.

Ecolab and CDP emphasize that no single organization can solve the water crisis alone. Instead, progress depends on shared metrics, collective accountability, and practical solutions implemented at scale. The new benchmarks are a step toward creating a common language for water performance—one that bridges strategy and execution.

Industry Adoption and Next Steps

The benchmarks will be rolled out through CDP’s annual disclosure cycle, with guidance and support available to reporting companies. Ecolab will provide technical insights and tools to help organizations translate benchmark results into operational improvements.

Early adopters are expected to include companies from water-intensive sectors such as manufacturing, food and beverage, energy, and technology. Over time, the partners aim to refine the benchmarks based on user feedback and evolving best practices.

Looking Ahead

As expectations for corporate water stewardship continue to rise, initiatives like this partnership signal a shift toward more accountable and effective action. By linking disclosure with performance, Ecolab and CDP are setting a new standard for how companies manage one of the world’s most precious resources.

For more details on the announcement, readers can review the official release at Business Wire.

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