DEG and WWF update Water Risk Filter

DEG and the environmental NGO WWF have launched an updated version of the Water Risk Filter. The free online tool allows companies and investors worldwide to calculate their water-related risks in a simple and effective manner. The new version of the filter includes information on agricultural matters.

Water risk is gaining in importance for business and investors. Water crises rank among the global risks of highest concern, according to the World Economic Forum’s latest Global Risks Perception Survey.

Specific information for agribusiness projects can now be used

First released in 2012, the free version of the Water Risk Filter was jointly developed by DEG and WWF. The updated version of the tool offers data on more than 120 agricultural commodities – including cotton and corn – making it one of the most sophisticated tools for tracking water risk exposure.

Close to 50,000 individual facilities have been assessed by the Water Risk Filter since its original release two years ago. Over 1,500 different organisations have used the tool, including global fashion retailer H&M, which utilised the filter when creating a new water strategy for its entire value chain.

Although now much more powerful, the Water Risk Filter remains easy to use. It has been planned with non-expert users in mind and consists of an easily understandable questionnaire and a pre-assessment, which in less than five minutes calculates if further analysis is necessary. The Water Risk Filter can be used worldwide, and incorporates sectoral and regionally specific information from 235 countries and areas, for which interactive maps and case studies are provided.

The filter generates a water risk score for a project in a specific region, based on the physical, regulatory and reputational risks. It also includes an extensive risk mitigation toolbox, allowing the user to reference relevant case studies demonstrating actions to reduce the highlighted risks.

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The Water Risk Filter can be accessed at:
http://www.waterriskfilter.org/