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I used to go to mountain trekking when I was young and saw beautiful colours of leaf in seasons and natural crystal clear water in creak. I used to also think such natural assets shall never be ruined since it gives us something that we have to learn and study to live wise as human. One day, I encountered UN studies saying 47% of world population would be threatened by water scarcity and living in a area of high water stress in 2030. That’s one of the reason that I wanted to become AWS specialist to contribute my knowledge and skill of long years of relevant industry and nevertheless it was also a trigger for global leaders to establish AWS to protect all natural favours from water in 2014.
When I saw an org in AWS assessment for the first time, I was surprised that org analyzed ground water flow and visualized through computer mapping on all surrounding defined scope so clear. It showed where water comes and where it’s gone. It tried to analyze its flow and how ground water was formed over time. Generally ground water takes 20 years to become drinking water for human seeped from surface water fall. The org equipped state of the art manufacturing facilities to produce safe and tasty drinking water operating in the middle of mountain as if living with nature.
Although good and friendly operation that the org did, there were some observations and opportunities for improvement from assessor’s view point because AWS standard requires to establish a water management system based on ToC (Theory of Change). ToC starts from stakeholder dialogue to develop and manage of AWS standard then design and run AWS monitoring and evaluation system for impact. It further creates communications as tools for driving knowledge, learning and AWS standard implementation then grow membership and brand as well.
After assessment was over and the review process was finally passed to issue certificate. It was a beautiful moment in award ceremony that org’s representative remarked that it’s just a start of long journey to make water secure world. The wards proved that all management and staffs committed to make it happen.
For those having further interest, here is AWS mission statement shown that we ignite and nurture global and local leadership in credible water stewardship that recognizes and secures the social, cultural, environmental and economic value of water, and AWS vision statement shown that a water secure world that enables people, cultures, business and nature to prosper now and in the future.
Over time, many local and global leaders try to protect nature and make its mechanism visualized through assessment, AWS standard is surely a good tool to make it. Because the implementation of the standard is intended to achieve five main outcomes for the site and its defined physical scope as good water governance, sustainable water balance, good water quality status, important water-related areas and safe water, sanitation and hygiene for all(WASH).
“The content herein is the author’s opinion and not published on behalf of the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS). The author holds an AWS Professional Credential and this piece of publishing helps fulfil their Continuing Contribution Units requirements. For more information about AWS or the AWS Professional Credentialing Program please visit https://a4ws.org/.”
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Hiroyuki Arie AWS Auditor & System Div. Manager, TÜV Rheinland Japan Ltd. Equipped work experience over 20years in food and beverage industry based on engineering educational background. Specialized in ISO certification service, Project Management, Food Safety and Supply Chain Assessment. |