From pump company to water company to water steward Climate change has a lot to do with water. Rising temperatures disrupt precipitation patterns – more rain, but in the wrong places – and increasing sea levels. A great opportunity for water companies when you think about it… were it not for the fact that the economic burden of climate change falls disproportionately on the poorest parts of the globe – with the most rapid population growth and urbanization. At the same time, UN data tells us that we are polluting the water we have available. More than 80% of wastewater returns to nature untreated. Furthermore, 70% of fresh water – much of it untreated from lakes and rivers – is used in agriculture, the products of which we end up consuming. I am convinced that technology and innovation will be key elements in meeting these global challenges, and that we can do business while also doing good. I am also convinced that it takes a particular mindset – where we move from doing business as usual to doing business as water stewards. We aim to push the boundaries of innovation and contribute to global sustainability by pioneering technologies that improve quality of life for people and care for the planet. The choices we make now affect the future of water. We have committed ourselves to reducing 50% of our water consumption by 2025 (compared to 2008), while constantly improving the quality of discharged water. In 2016, we cut our water use by another 5% in absolute terms – so we are down more than 36% from 2008. However, we cannot do it alone. We need to collaborate – as individuals, as a company and as a part of society. Many of our best practices show that the combination of innovative technology and close partnerships deliver the results we are looking for. “Sustainability and responsibility are not a department or a report. They are the very essence in every company that wants to think ahead and accomplish something greater than just creating short-term profit.” Mads Nipper Group President & CEO GRUNDFOS CEO WATER MANDATE 2016 /3
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