BSR Insight | Another Year, Another Drought: Water Scarcity in China’s Manufacturing Zone
Reports that 50,000 people in southern China (and at least a million more in the western and central regions) are suffering from a severe drought underscores a perennial question about the impact of water shortages in the country: How can companies with supply chains and manufacturing in China reconcile the water needs of their business with competing demands from industry, agriculture, and local residents?
BSR recommends that companies take a diversified response to both minimize their water footprint and contribute to local solutions. Earlier this year, we began training factory managers on efficient water use and treatment, sharing case studies of factories in Guangdong that now reuse all of their wastewater. We also recommend that effective solutions to address water allocation concerns begin with the engagement of diverse stakeholders to ensure equitable and mutually acceptable outcomes. To this end, BSR facilitates dialogue and cooperation among companies, researchers, government, and civil society.
For more information, please contact Laura Ediger, Environmental Manager, BSR.
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