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VSME B6 Water: What is water withdrawal - and why does it matter?

What VSME B6 requires 

Your company shall disclose its total water withdrawal, i.e. the total amount of water drawn into the boundaries of your organisation (or facility). You shall also separately report the amount of water withdrawn at sites located in areas of high water stress. 

To check whether your site(s) is located in areas of high-water stress, you can use the following map: WRI Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas.

Why report water withdrawal? 

While the VSME standard does not provide extensive background for this disclosure, the rationale becomes clear when you look at related frameworks. According to the Log of Amendments on ESRS E3 Water, there are several important reasons why data on water withdrawal matters:

  • It measures pressure on local water resources: Water withdrawal is a key indicator for assessing how much pressure is placed on local water resources. Excessive withdrawals can reduce river flows and strain aquatic ecosystems. 
  • It is associated with environmental and social risks: High withdrawal levels can reduce water availability for local communities and agriculture. 
  • It supports climate change adaptation: Understanding and managing water withdrawal is recognized as essential for adapting to climate change and ensuring water security.

In practice, for most companies, water withdrawal relates to the amount of water taken from the public supply network as shown in utility bills. If you are unsure how to report your water withdrawal data, we recommend consulting your water bills, meter readings or facility management records.