Global Water Stewardship Organization Open For Business In North America

MILWAUKEE, June 18, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), a global collaboration of leaders in sustainable water resource management, today announced an agreement with The Water Council to represent AWS in North America.

This announcement builds on recent commitments from top corporations, including Nestlé and General Mills to support AWS, and on the recent launch of the AWS International Water Stewardship Standard.

AWS has strong roots in Wisconsin, with contributions such as funding, expertise and test piloting from the following leaders:  A.O. Smith, Badger Meter, Bucyrus International (now Caterpillar), Diversey (now Sealed Air), MillerCoors, Quad/Graphics, Spirit of Milwaukee Foundation, Veolia North America and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.

The Nature Conservancy, an international conservation organization that co-founded AWS, engaged companies, utilities and other stakeholders in developing and testing the Standard in North America.

"The AWS Standard provides an unprecedented, comprehensive approach for businesses and communities to demonstrate water stewardship while working to ensure we have enough water for people and nature, today and in the future," said Lisa Wojnarowski Downes, The Nature Conservancy's Director of Freshwater Stewardship in North America & AWS North America Coordinator.

"The Water Council has had close relations with AWS from its early days of development and we are now enthusiastic to be able to work directly with this vital international organization," stated Dean Amhaus, President & CEO of The Water Council.  Amhaus added, "The AWS standard comes at a critical time as clean freshwater becomes a growing scarcity and we are confident that the Council and our members will help with its implementation."

The AWS Standard was designed to align with other sustainability initiatives and support independent certification.  AWS builds on the success of other voluntary standards such as the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED).

To encourage understanding and engagement around water, AWS is launching a training program and membership opportunities.  By joining AWS and the Water Council, organizations can learn how to help protect the water we depend on for life and shape the way it is used today and in the future.

SOURCE Alliance for Water Stewardship