The partnership between Apple and Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) have promoted high water management standards and sustainability in Apple’s onsite data centre and has rippled through its supply chains in China.

The article in 9to5Mac says that Apple’s partnership with AWS has them invest in their supply chains in China and increase Apple’s supply chain partners receiving an AWS certificate from 5 to 13 suppliers.

In 2018, the partnership achieved a significant milestone when Apple’s flexible circuit board supplier in Kunshan, China, became the first electronics industry to obtain the AWS gold-level certification.

Since then, the partnership led to another public and private partnership in the Kunshan region between Apple’s supply chain companies, local government officials, and the WWF China representatives to promote high water management standards in the area.

According to the article, the partnership is based on Apple’s “Clean Water Project”, which aims to save 156.3 million cubic meters of freshwater resources in 2020, and a part of the company’s goal to achieve 100% carbon neutrality throughout its supply chain and product life cycle by 2030.

A related article from CSR wire says that Apple’s data centre on its Prineville, Oregon site is the first data centre to receive an International Water Stewardship Standard form the AWS.

The article said that this is “a milestone achieved by protecting shared water resources through continual improvement in the Standard’s five outcomes of good water stewardship: water governance, water balance, water quality, Important Water-Related Areas, and safe water, sanitation and hygiene.”

The data centre, located in the high desert of Central Oregon, used the AWS standard to contextualise its water stewardship program, guide its site-specific water stewardship plan, and future water-related decisions.

Princeville Mayor praised Apple’s achievement as benefitting the community in many ways by protecting the local environment. Mentioning the city’s partnership with Apple in projects like the aquifer system and recovery system, he said that he is “are glad to have this support in addressing the shared water challenges in our region”.

Apple’s decision to partner with AWS is a step in the right decision in the face of climate change’s increasing threat to our most precious resource – water.

The AWS mission is to promote water security and water stewardship worldwide. Its standard offers a globally applicable framework for major water users to understand their water use and impacts.

As Apple exemplified, partnerships with them can contribute to mitigating water challenges and risks in a business or organisations’ local area, increasing their water resilience and contributing to the realisation of AWS goals and vision, which also helps address climate change threats and impacts.

About the Alliance for Water Stewardship

The Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) is an international membership-based collaboration that unites private businesses, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and public organisations behind the mission to lead a worldwide network that promotes freshwater’s responsible use.

It was created by business and environmental leaders in response to globally endemic water stresses, such as drought, flood and pollution. The Water Council is the official North American regional partner of the AWS. Learn more at www.awsnorthamerica.com.

Source Citation:

Adorno, J. (2021, March 22). On World Water Day, Apple reaffirms Alliance for Water Stewardship partnership. 9to5Mac. Retrieved from https://9to5mac.com/2021/03/22/apple-alliance-for-water-stewardship/

Apple Earns Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Standard Certification at Prineville, Oregon Data Center Site. (2021, March 23). The Alliance For Water Stewardship. CSRWire. Retrieved from https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/719966-apple-earns-alliance-water-stewardship-aws-standard-certification-prineville