World Business Council for Sustainable Development partners with Infosys to launch the India Water Tool

World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has launched the India Water Tool to help companies better assess their water risks and manage their water usage more efficiently in India. Infosys is the technology partner for this tool and has brought its expertise in IT and water-related domains, which is built atop its client engagement experience. Infosys has also drawn on its internal water management experience to build the tool. The tool is the first customization in India of WBCSD’s widely acclaimed ‘Global Water Tool’ launched in 2007.

The ‘India Water Tool’ is a free IT-based resource that integrates groundwater data from across India. Any company operating in the country can use the tool to input its data around location and water use. Once the data has been fed into the tool, it automatically generates maps and charts displaying which of the company’s operations face the biggest groundwater availability and quality risks.

The tool is not tailored to any specific sector but can help small and large companies across Indian industries to understand their water priorities and inform their water management decisions. This is the crucial first step for any business striving to better manage its water use and should be followed by a detailed assessment of water use and stewardship options at the plant level.

A group of 14 companies in India (Co-chairs: ACC and PwC; Technology partner: Infosys; Working Group comprising Ambuja, BASF, Bayer, BP, DSM, HCC, Jain Irrigation, ITC, Pepsi, Siemens, Vedanta), have worked together, in coordination with WBCSD, to develop the first version of the India Water Tool.

Talking about the role of Infosys in this collaborative project, Mr. Ankush Patel, Vice President and Head, Global Sustainability Unit at Infosys said:

“The India Water Tool showcases the power of innovation, collaboration and technology to help manage precious natural resources. It also validates the need for partnership between ‘for profit’ and ‘not for profit’ organizations to solve some of the greatest global challenges. With the investments we have made in this tool, data-driven decision-making will improve water management, saving organizations money and reducing valuable resource consumption.”