Sustainability policy
1. Introduction
The Swedish Water Industry is the trade association for consultants, contractors and product suppliers within water purification and water treatment. We work to create resilient and long-term solutions where members contribute innovation and expertise for sustainable solutions in a good business climate.
As a trade organization, we clarify the contributions of member companies to ensuring a long-term and sustainable water and wastewater supply.
The water industry recognizes the importance of sustainable development and through collaboration with our members we strive to integrate sustainability principles into our operations and encourage our members and the industry as a whole to do the same.
2. Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to describe how the Swedish Water Industry as a trade organization can, through our activities and members, promote sustainable business practices within the industry and support a transition to a more sustainable future.
3. Sustainability principles
Our sustainability strategy is based on the following three principles:
Environmental responsibility:
We encourage our members and partners to reduce their ecological footprint by streamlining resource use, minimizing emissions and waste, and promoting circular business models.
Social responsibility:
We advocate for fair working conditions, diversity and inclusion, and that our members and partners work to improve the working environment for their employees and support the communities in which they operate.
Economic sustainability:
We support business models that are economically viable while taking social and environmental factors into account, and promote innovation that leads to long-term sustainable solutions and a good business climate. The association follows the Code of Conduct of the Swedish Industry Associations, which should be seen as a clear signal that we actively work for transparent and competitively neutral operations within the Swedish Industry Associations and its industry associations.
4. Goals and commitments (Activities with members)
The water industry commits to:
Encourage innovation and best practices:
We support members in their sustainability work by spreading knowledge, promoting best practices and, where appropriate, driving joint initiatives.
Promote education and awareness:
We provide educational resources and platforms for knowledge sharing on sustainability issues.
Measurability and reporting:
We encourage members to set measurable sustainability goals and to regularly report on their progress.
Collaboration with stakeholders:
We collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including authorities, customers and suppliers, to support sustainability goals and raise awareness of sustainability issues in the industry.
5. Sustainable meetings and events (Association activities)
The association's core business is to provide a powerful meeting place for its members. This includes organizing both physical and digital meetings.
The water industry strives to arrange sustainable meetings and events by:
- Make procurement of physical facilities based on the facilities' own active sustainability work and reporting.
- Plan the location of events so that sustainable transportation to and from the events can be used and rewarded. The water industry also encourages carpooling.
- Make conscious choices and use organic and locally produced ingredients to the greatest extent possible.
- By being affiliated with Kranmärkt, a national sustainability label for businesses that choose tap water over bottled water, we show that we are taking a stand for a better environment.
6. Continuous improvements
We strive to continuously improve our sustainability efforts by following up on our results, adapting to new research findings and trends, and adjusting the policy as needed to ensure its relevance.
Adopted in 2024.
