ABSTRACT
Companies that use water, and most do either directly or indirectly, can engage with water ethics at three levels: (1) responsible use within the production process, including the supply chain; (2) cooperating with other water stakeholders sharing the same water sources or watersheds, and (3) at the policy level, advocating for new norms and policies. The business reason for doing any of these good deeds is rarely just altruistic (though it’s possible) and more likely a strategy for managing water risk (through being a good watershed neighbor) as well as reputational risk in the eyes of customers. It is the customer’s ethics that motivate the good deeds of the companies. Companies have a huge impact not only on water itself, but on establishing or undermining norms for ethical water use.
