A smart plan for future-proof water management

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For a long time, water was regarded as a purely operational, local matter. Driven by climate change and stricter regulation, it is rapidly evolving into a structural business risk.

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In Flanders, this shift is already clearly visible today. Our region is among the most water-scarce in Europe: according to the World Resources Institute’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, demand for water already structurally exceeds supply – and the pressure on groundwater keeps increasing year after year. The dry summers of 2017, 2018, 2022 and 2025 were not exceptions, but signals of a structural shift.

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For water-dependent businesses – in sectors such as food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles and paper – this development translates into concrete strategic risks:

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• water scarcity;
• restrictions on water abstraction;
• rising costs for water abstraction and treatment.

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Moreover, those who look only at water consumption at their own site see just part of the picture. Water risk often lies upstream as well, with suppliers in regions of high water stress.

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About the whitepaper

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In ‘Water under pressure: from risk to strategy’, we offer a strategic framework for approaching water as a business parameter.

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You’ll discover:

1. how regulation, climate change, reporting, supply-chain pressure and credible communication are reshaping the water playing field;
2. how to translate water risk into strategic choices and embed them in your business operations;
3. which concrete measures accompany a water policy – at your own site and in your value chain;
4. how to determine your strategic position using a priority matrix.

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Who is it for?

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The whitepaper is intended for sustainability managers, operations directors, CFOs and board members of water-dependent businesses, including those in the food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, textiles and paper sectors.