Strategy and Governance
At WACKER, we use a groupwide environmental management system to manage all environmental concerns. This also includes impacts in relation to water withdrawal, water backflow and water consumption. We describe our general environmental policy and governance in the “General disclosures on environmental standards” section.
Water plays a material role for WACKER in many production processes, whether it be for cooling, purification or in product formulations. The safe and economic availability of water in needs-driven volumes and quality plays a material role in the company’s value chain. Climate change may increasingly lead to restrictions, e.g. in the volume and quality of water available. For this reason, we consider it our responsibility to future-proof our water stewardship.
Compliance with legal regulations and minimizing impacts in relation to water withdrawal, water consumption and water backflow are a top priority in this respect. By this, we mean strict adherence to critical limits, safe plant operation and efficient handling of water as a resource. WACKER endeavors to minimize its water consumption and also, where possible, to reuse and retreat water several times.
The water WACKER uses at its production sites is primarily from surface water. Groundwater and seawater are only used to a small extent in comparison.
The basis for our water stewardship is the WACKER Water Stewardship (WaWaS) program that follows six main principles in line with Sustainable Development Goal 6 “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all” and international standards:
- Good water governance: appropriate and transparent company management of water practices
- Sustainable basin water balance: sustainable water withdrawal in relation to water volume
- Good water quality: in terms of chemical quality, biological elements and thermal load
- Protection of important water-related areas: conservation and protection of key aquatic reserves
- Flood protection: protection of people and plants against the consequences of extreme weather events
- Safe water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH): safe access to water, sanitary facilities and hygiene standards
WACKER is guided in this by international standards such as European Water Stewardship (EWS), the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH).
Our water is managed at local level to be able to comply with local conditions and the requirements of the respective region. We focus on:
- Supplying production processes with water safely in needs-driven volumes and quality (temperature, substance load) – tailored to the ecological capacity of the water reservoir used
- Treating wastewater safely and protecting bodies of water against harmful substances entering them
- Fulfilling societal demands for sustainable use of water and complying with legislation and official provisions governing water supply and water discharge
- Ensuring our production sites can adapt to physical and regulatory changes both to head off risks to sustainable development and to take advantage of economic opportunities
- Strengthening the sustainability contribution of the product portfolio by taking into account our impacts on water as part of our WACKER Sustainable Solutions program
The Group Coordinator for the Environment plays a key role in implementing our policies throughout the Group and managing our water stewardship using the relevant regulations and provisions as well as standard processes and actions.
Water stewardship, including water withdrawal, water consumption and water backflow, is part of the Group regulation governing environmental protection, health protection, safety and product safety and dangerous goods management as described in the “General disclosures on environmental standards” section.
As part of our water stewardship, we take a comprehensive approach to water as a resource and also look at water and marine resources.
