Source 44 Awarded Membership to the Water Footprint Network (WFN)

Source 44 Awarded Membership to the Water Footprint Network (WFN)

WFN provides the most advanced methodology for calculating water footprints

(SAN DIEGO, CA) June 18, 2010 – Source 44 LLC, the nation’s first and only provider of supply chain sustainability Footprint Data Sheet (FDS)™ subscription services, is proud to announce its membership in the Water Footprint Network (WFN).

The WFN, established in 2008, represent the most advanced methodology for understanding the water footprints of facilities, products, and materials. The mission of the WFN is to “advance the concept of the “water footprint”, increase awareness of water footprints in communities, governments and businesses and encourage forms of water governance that reduce the negative ecological and social impacts of water usage”. These concept goals are closely related to Source 44’s objective of helping our clients understand the impact of their business activities.

“Water represents one of Earth’s most important natural resources, and without proper management its use will become unsustainable,” said Jennifer L. Kraus, MPH, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Source 44. “By understanding the source and use of our clients water, Source 44 will be able to integrate this knowledge into its database of client information, furthering our service options.”

By joining the WFN Source 44 will join the ranks of organizations that recognize the need to understand the impact their activities have on the availability of freshwater. These organizations include: The Coca-Cola Company, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, The Nature Conservancy and Dole Food Company.

Source 44 is in the process of gaining additional certification from the organization on advanced WFN methodologies.  Upon completion, Source 44 will be the only sustainability management company to obtain this certification – and one of only three American organizations of any kind.

“As water becomes a scarcer resource it will represent a greater risk to all businesses,” Ms. Kraus added. “By understanding the most advanced methods for tracking water usage Source 44 will greatly enhance the value we add to our clients.”

About Source 44 LLC

Source 44 discovers the origins of their clients’ products – their Sustainability DNA (sDNA)™ – and helps them transform these findings into innovative Supply Chain Savings. The company compiles these sDNA™ findings and stores them in their proprietary database of Material, Product and Facility Footprint Data Sheets™. This carbon footprint database is accessible by all Source 44 subscribers, providing their clients with an affordable and simplified solution to a complex and challenging Sustainability problem.

Source 44 also partners with its subscribers to help prioritize their carbon, water and waste reduction initiatives. This prioritization process helps ensure their clients obtain high-impact Sustainability results while also eliminating unnecessary costs and identifying new revenue-generating opportunities. Unlike large consulting and engineering companies, Source 44 provides practical, scalable and affordable Sustainability data and solutions. This is because Source 44 owns the world’s largest proprietary database of Footprint Data Sheets™ and leverages this extensive database for each of its customers.

About Water Footprint Network

The Water Footprint Network (WFN) was founded in 2008, based primarily on the research of Professor Arjen Hoekstra of the UNESCO-IHE. The WFN is recognition that water shortages and pollution can best be understood when viewed in consideration of the entire production and supply chains. Many countries have externalized their water usage, making it difficult to understand the real impact of the use of a product. This situation has created the need for the concept of “virtual water,” as a way of understanding a products entire water impact.
The concepts of the WFN are firmly established in scientific literature. Research has primarily worked at addressing the question of how best to implement proper water footprint accounting in the context of a country or organization.

For More Information

Source 44 LLC
Lauren Gambaccini, Marketing Communications Director
marketing@source-44.com
877. 916. MFDS (6337)