Some companies using lots of water want to be more sustainable. Few are close to their targets

By SUMAN NAISHADHAM and BRITTANY PETERSON
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Major corporations in water-guzzling industries such as apparel, food and beverage, and tech want to be better stewards of the freshwater resources they use. But a nonprofit that advocates for sustainability said an analysis of 72 companies found that few are close to reaching targets the nonprofit set for 2030 in several areas. The nonprofit, Ceres, looked at things including how well the companies protected the quality and quantity of water they used, as well as the ecosystems that supply it. Ceres says there’s no doubt the companies need to do better. The sustainability of water is becoming even more important as droughts, floods and other extreme weather intensified by climate change threaten their supply chains.