The Water Council Expands Water Stewardship Programming

MILWAUKEE, March 19, 2025 /3BL/ - The Water Council announced an expansion today of its groundbreaking water stewardship verification program, WAVE.

WAVE: Action will help organizations set targets that directly mitigate highest priority water risks and prepare to engage stakeholders in collaborative actions that address shared challenges and opportunities. It builds on the original WAVE program, now known as WAVE: Assess, which helps organizations assess water use, impact and risk across their enterprise.

“We created WAVE because we knew companies needed help getting started on their water stewardship journeys,” said Matt Howard, The Water Council vice president of water stewardship. “Now we are excited to help companies take the next step to set targets and achieve meaningful water-related outcomes.”

WAVE: Assess is the world’s first enterprise-wide, independently verified water stewardship program, launched by The Water Council in February 2022. WAVE: Action is a separate verification program available to companies that have completed WAVE: Assess or can show that they have already assessed their water risks and opportunities and created a senior-level water commitment.

Participants go through a four-step methodology to implement high-priority actions, set enterprise-wide targets, prepare for external reporting and identify collaboration opportunities. As in WAVE: Assess, all WAVE: Action participants will undergo an independent verification process with SCS Global Services, an international leader in third-party verification of environmental, social and sustainability performance.

“SCS is proud to expand its verification services to include WAVE: Action”, said Lauren Enright, program manager for water services at SCS Global Services. “Independent verification is essential to ensure water stewardship targets are meaningful, measurable and aligned with best practices. WAVE: Action represents an important evolution in corporate water stewardship, helping companies move from assessment to implementing tangible solutions that address critical water challenges.”

WAVE: Action is being launched with A. O. Smith Corporation, a leading manufacturer of residential and commercial water heaters, boilers and water treatment solutions, as its first participant. A. O. Smith pilot tested WAVE: Assess and became one of the first companies to be verified to the program in 2022.

In 2024, A. O. Smith announced its first public water goal – annual water savings of 40 million gallons by 2030. To achieve that goal, the company will focus on administrative controls, process optimization and water recycling technologies to advance its commitment to water stewardship.

“As a global water technology company, we are committed to taking action consistent with the assessment and priorities identified in the WAVE program,” said Jim Stern, A. O. Smith executive vice president. “WAVE: Action will provide the necessary framework to develop strategies that will help achieve our goals, and the verification process will ensure our program accomplishes meaningful and measurable outcomes.”

Seven companies have achieved WAVE: Assess verification since its launch in 2022: A. O. Smith, Clearwater Paper, Ecolab, KPMG U.S., Primo Brands, Sloan and Watts Water Technologies.

“WAVE: Assess was always meant to be a beginning, not an end, to a company’s water stewardship work,” Howard said. “We expect many of these companies to eventually move on to WAVE: Action as they continue on their journeys to achieve water stewardship best practices and help protect our critical water resources.”

Visit waveverified.com to learn more about WAVE: Assess and WAVE: Action.

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About The Water Council

The Water Council (TWC) is a global hub dedicated to solving critical water challenges by driving innovation in freshwater technology and advancing water stewardship. Built on more than a century of water innovation, TWC has coalesced one of the most concentrated and mature water technology clusters in the world from its headquarters at the Global Water Center in Milwaukee, Wis., USA. Recognizing the need for smarter and more sustainable use of water worldwide, TWC also promotes water stewardship as a natural complement to water innovation in the effort to preserve freshwater resources in the Midwest and around the world. Today, The Water Council has established itself as a global leader in the water industry and one of America’s premier economic development clusters as recognized by government agencies, Brookings and the Harvard Business School.

About SCS Global Services 
SCS Global Services is a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing, and standards development. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in climate mitigation, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, forestry, consumer products, and more. Headquartered in Emeryville, California, SCS Global Services has representatives and affiliate offices throughout the Americas, Asia/Pacific, Europe and Africa. Its broad network of auditors are experts in their fields, and the company is a trusted partner to companies, agencies and advocacy organizations due to its dedication to quality and professionalism. SCS Global Services is a chartered Benefit Corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. For more information, visit www.scsglobalservices.com.

About A. O. Smith Corporation

With over 150 years’ experience, A. O. Smith Corporation, headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a global leader applying innovative technology and energy-efficient solutions to products manufactured and marketed worldwide. Listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: AOS), the company is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of residential and commercial water heating equipment and boilers, as well as a manufacturer of water treatment products. For more information, visit www.aosmith.com.

Media Contacts:

Stacy Vogel Davis 
Communications Director, The Water Council 
[email protected]

Shyama Devarajan 
Senior Marketing Manager, SCS Global Services 
[email protected]