Policy statement

Water is an essential element for life on earth and is a basic resource for IWG as one of the leading providers of flexible workspace.

We are aware of the importance of freshwater as a resource, its increasing scarcity and also climate change-inflicted risks such as flooding and drought. We recognise that water is a shared natural resource and is critically important to our operations, employees, customers and to the communities where we operate.

At IWG, we strive for sustainable water management practices that minimise our water footprint, ensure water conservation, and promote efficient water use throughout our global operations.

Compliance and Legal Requirements

IWG is dedicated to complying with all applicable water-related laws, regulations, and standards in the countries and regions where we operate. We recognise that legal compliance is the foundation for responsible water management.

Our guiding principles

We are committed to having a positive impact on water where we source and operate. Our guiding principles are driven by our purpose and are reflected in how we manage and operate our buildings as well as into our supply chain. We follow best practices from the UN CEO Water Mandate, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Accountability: We take responsibility for our water usage and impacts, recognising that sustainable water management is a shared responsibility among stakeholders. We are taking holistic measures to protect the environment and our sites as we are aware of the dangers of flooding due to heavy rain caused by climate change
   
   
2. Efficiency: We prioritise water efficiency by minimising consumption, optimising water use, and adopting best practices and technologies to reduce waste. In our operations, we want to set clear targets to optimise water efficiency, with a focus in water stressed areas, and wastewater treatment
   
   
3. Conservation: We actively promote water conservation, encouraging responsible use and raising awareness about the importance of preserving this precious resource
   
   
4. Compliance: We adhere to all applicable laws, regulations, and permits related water usage and quality, surpassing minimum requirements whenever possible. We also recognise that access to fresh water and sanitation services are an essential human right. Therefore, we strive to protect water resources and we promote global access to Water Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) principles, seeking to guarantee access to water to all our employees and to vulnerable communities in the areas where we source and operate
   
   
5. Pollution Prevention: We implement measures to prevent water pollution, ensuring proper handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous substances
   
   
6. Ecosystem Protection: We recognise the importance of water and ecosystems interconnection, working to protect and restore water-dependent habitats and support biodiversity
   
   
7. Collaboration: We actively seek collaborations with organisations, industry associations, and stakeholders to address water challenges collectively sharing knowledge, expertise and resources

Water Goals & Targets

We believe that our business model must be fully aligned with, and contribute to sustainable water management practices, actively contribute to the preservation of key watersheds in which we operate and source water. To achieve this, IWG has implemented a comprehensive strategy that encompasses the following key elements:

Efficient water usage: we strive to reduce the unit cost of water by implementing measures that promote efficient usage throughout our operations.

Water conservation: through the adoption of water-saving technologies, efficient infrastructure, and employee awareness programs, we actively work towards reducing our overall water consumption.

Ongoing water monitoring: to ensure accountability and drive improvements, IWG is improving its ability to manage water usage through regular and frequent meter readings to closely monitor water usage. By closely tracking our consumption patterns, we can identify areas where further optimisation is necessary and promptly implement corrective measures.

Source evaluation: we recognise the importance of understanding the origin and quality of the water we use. IWG conducts thorough investigations into our water sources to evaluate their sustainability and reliability.

IWG has set the following targets for its operations:

1. Set a progressive target for water consumption
   
   
2. Controllable reduction in consumption per SQM by 20% by 2040
   
   
3. Implement a water metering strategy globally which allows for accurate monitoring of water consumption (to the required detail)
   
   
4. To ensure new development, upgrades and refurbishments are carried out to IWG policies, specifications, and design guides to achieve sustainable operation and minimise environmental impact
   
   
5. Where possible, apply independent environmental assessment methods (for example BREEAM) to incorporate best practice design

Our guiding principles on sustainable use of water is incorporated into our supply chain via our Supply Chain Code of Conduct. This encourages upstream value chain initiatives to reduce water consumption and promote WASH across vulnerable communities. Suppliers’ environmental performance is managed through ongoing supply chain management governance process to drive ongoing improvement. Our goals are to:

• Improve and protect water quality and quantity in our priority supply chains
  
  
• Ensure that our suppliers implement WASH principles and sustainable use of water in their operations and reduce their impact on the watershed where they operate
  
  
• Improve access to WASH in vulnerable communities where we source and operate

Tracking our progress

In order to ensure that this policy is implemented through our whole organisation, we periodically monitor and evaluate the results on an annual basis. The Group report its performance in terms of sustainable water management through the CDP Water Programme, as well as in our Annual Report.