SUSTAINABILITY
population – face extreme water stress and three quarters of rural households don ’ t have access to piped , drinking water and must rely on unsafe sources .
“ While our Nashik facility is located in an area with a good water supply , as a manufacturer striving to be sustainable , we have a duty to lessen our impact on the water resources of the countries we operate in . Responsible resource use – whether that be water , materials or energy – should be the gold standard worldwide , not just a problem to be solved in regions or countries where water stress is a challenge .” nations the percentage of water use for industrial purposes can be substantially more – it is currently 86 % in Germany , for example .
“ Why is the amount of water we use so important ? Because an estimated 2.3bn people live in water stressed countries . Water stress is when demand for water exceeds the available amount . Water stress is intensified in areas where demand increases or where the water supply is affected by changes in quantity or quality .”
By 2050 , India is forecast to be the nation most severely affected by water scarcity according to a UN report . In 2018 , research stated that 600m people – nearly half the
A clear road map for waste reduction and recycling As part of ABB ’ s corporate social responsibility strategy , the company has partnered with the not-for-profit organisation Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram , to construct water retention structures in water scarce tribal areas of the Nashik district . To date , nine structures have been constructed and handed over to villages .
“ These constructions are a huge help to farmers as they provide water for agricultural produce , but they also increase and sustain the availability of drinking water for people as well as animals throughout the year ,” said Kothawade . “ We have installed a roof top mounted solar system for an NGO ( Prabodhini Trust ) which is working for the holistic development of specially abled children . This installation fulfils their entire requirement of energy needs and has resulted in substantial cost savings for them as well as driving a sustainable and green energy message .”
Taking a step further in sustainability , ABB has also engaged its suppliers ( primarily
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