Discover what a water scarcity assessment is, how it is carried out, which indicators are used and the role it plays in sustainable resource and business planning. Manglai can help.

Water scarcity assessment

<p>A <strong>water scarcity assessment</strong> is a structured process that analyses the availability of water resources in a given territory against the demand placed on them by different sectors (agriculture, industry, urban use and the environment). It is essential for identifying situations of <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/water-stress'><strong>water stress</strong></a>, planning sustainable management policies and anticipating risks linked to climate change, population growth and economic intensification.</p><p>International bodies such as the FAO, the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the European Environment Agency use water scarcity assessment methodologies to inform decisions at global, national and local level.</p><h2>Definition</h2><p>A water scarcity assessment brings together the methodologies, indicators and analytical tools used to measure the extent to which water demand exceeds, or threatens to exceed, availability in a specific area. It is not a simple calculation: it integrates environmental, social, economic and climatic factors.</p><h2>Objectives of the assessment</h2><ul><li>Diagnose the current state of water availability and use.</li><li>Identify future risks under different climate and development scenarios.</li><li>Set management priorities for productive sectors and ecosystems.</li><li>Guide public policy for water resource planning.</li><li>Give companies tools to assess risks across their supply chains.</li></ul><h2>Methodologies</h2><ol><li><strong>Indicator-based approaches</strong><ul><li>Falkenmark Index: cubic metres of water available per person per year.</li><li><a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/water-stress-index'><strong>Water Stress Index (WSI)</strong></a>: the ratio of demand to availability.</li><li>Scarcity coefficient: the proportion between consumption and available resources.</li></ul></li><li><strong>Hydrological models</strong><ul><li>Simulation of river flows and aquifer recharge.</li><li>Projections under different climate scenarios.</li></ul></li><li><strong>Integrated assessments</strong><ul><li>Incorporate socio-economic variables, water quality and ecological needs.</li><li>Example: the <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/aqueduct-water-risk-atlas'><strong>WRI Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas</strong></a>.</li></ul></li></ol><h2>Key variables analysed</h2><ul><li>Natural water availability: annual renewable resources.</li><li>Sectoral demand: agricultural, industrial, urban and environmental.</li><li>Water quality: pollution and salinisation.</li><li>Efficiency of use: losses in distribution networks and irrigation systems.</li><li>Temporal variability: seasonal and multi-year droughts.</li><li>Climate change: reduced rainfall and rising temperatures.</li></ul><h2>Regulation and reference frameworks</h2><ul><li><a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/eu-water-framework-directive'><strong>EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)</strong></a>: requires Member States to assess and report on the status of water bodies.</li><li>Regulation (EU) 2021/2115, which integrates sustainable water management into the Common Agricultural Policy through national CAP Strategic Plans.</li><li>River Basin Management Plans (in Spain), which include periodic scarcity assessments.</li><li>UN Sustainable Development Goal 6: ensure water and sanitation for all.</li></ul><h2>Benefits of the assessment</h2><ul><li><strong>Environmental:</strong> helps maintain ecological flows.</li><li><strong>Economic:</strong> supports investment planning and avoids losses from water shortages.</li><li><strong>Social:</strong> reduces conflicts between sectors and territories.</li><li><strong>Business:</strong> provides security in water-dependent supply chains, complementing a wider <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/water-risk-assessment'><strong>water risk assessment</strong></a>.</li></ul><h2>Current challenges</h2><ul><li>Availability of reliable data, especially for aquifers.</li><li>Spatial scales: differences between basins, regions and countries.</li><li>Integrating water quality, not only quantity.</li><li>Incorporating the corporate water footprint into local assessments.</li></ul><h2>Relationship with the circular economy</h2><p>A water scarcity assessment drives circularity measures such as the reuse of wastewater, recirculation technologies in industry and more water-efficient agriculture. It is closely related to the concept of <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/escasez-hidrica'><strong>water scarcity</strong></a> and to corporate water stewardship more broadly.</p><p>Assessing water scarcity is a strategic tool for anticipating risks and managing one of the most critical resources. It helps address recurring droughts, secure food and energy supplies and guide both public policy and business strategy towards more resilient models. At <strong>Manglai</strong> we help companies measure their environmental footprint and prepare their sustainability reporting. <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en'>Discover how Manglai can help you</a>.</p>

A water scarcity assessment analyses the availability of water resources in a territory against the demand from different sectors, to identify water stress and guide sustainable management.

Water scarcity assessment: methodologies, regulation and practical uses

The water scarcity coefficient measures how much pressure demand puts on available water. The AWARE method turns this idea into a standardised indicator for footprinting. At Manglai we help you assess water risk.

Water scarcity coefficient (AWARE)

<p>A <strong>water scarcity coefficient</strong> is an indicator used in water resource management to quantify the pressure that demand places on the water available in a given area. It helps to identify situations of <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/water-stress'>water stress</a> and to guide decisions in planning, agriculture, industry and public policy. The <strong>AWARE</strong> method (Available WAter REmaining) is the most widely used way of turning this idea into a standardised scarcity factor for environmental footprinting.</p><p>Freshwater makes up only around 2.5% of all the water on Earth, and only a small fraction of that is easily accessible. With a large share of the world's population facing water scarcity for at least part of the year, scarcity indicators have become essential tools in environmental and socio-economic assessments.</p><h2>The basic scarcity coefficient</h2><p>In its simplest form, a scarcity coefficient is expressed as the ratio between the volume of water demanded and the volume of water available in a given area and period. A common interpretation of the withdrawal-to-availability ratio is:</p><ul><li><strong>Below 0.2</strong>: relative abundance, low pressure.</li><li><strong>0.2 to 0.4</strong>: emerging water stress.</li><li><strong>0.4 to 0.8</strong>: medium to high water stress.</li><li><strong>Above 0.8</strong>: severe or critical scarcity.</li></ul><p>This kind of ratio is the basis of well-known indicators such as the <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/water-stress-index'>Water Stress Index (WSI)</a>, while the Falkenmark indicator instead measures cubic metres of water available per person per year.</p><h2>The AWARE method</h2><p>AWARE is the consensus characterisation model developed by the WULCA working group (under the UNEP Life Cycle Initiative) to assess water scarcity in <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/life-cycle-assessment'>life cycle assessment</a>. Instead of a simple demand/availability ratio, AWARE is based on the water remaining in an area once the needs of humans and ecosystems have been met, and answers the question: what is the potential to deprive another user, human or ecosystem, when consuming a cubic metre of water here?</p><ul><li>The AWARE characterisation factor is dimensionless and ranges from <strong>0.1 to 100</strong>, normalised against the world average.</li><li>A value of <strong>1</strong> represents the world average; values <strong>above 1</strong> indicate basins with higher-than-average scarcity, and values <strong>below 1</strong> relative abundance.</li><li>Results are reported in cubic metres of world equivalent (m3 world-eq), making water footprints comparable across regions.</li></ul><p>For the application of AWARE as a footprint indicator, see <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/water-scarcity-footprint-aware'>Water Scarcity Footprint (AWARE)</a> and the <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/aware'>AWARE</a> entry.</p><h2>Variables used</h2><p>To estimate scarcity, the following are typically considered:</p><ul><li><strong>Water availability</strong>: surface flows, aquifer recharge and reservoir storage.</li><li><strong>Agricultural demand</strong>: crop irrigation and livestock.</li><li><strong>Industrial demand</strong>: production processes and energy.</li><li><strong>Urban demand</strong>: domestic consumption and services.</li><li><strong>Climatic factors</strong>: droughts and extreme rainfall.</li></ul><h2>Why scarcity coefficients matter</h2><ol><li><strong>Environmental diagnosis</strong>: they measure how sustainable water use is in a territory.</li><li><strong>Water planning</strong>: they help prioritise critical river basins.</li><li><strong>Business management</strong>: they support assessment of <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/riesgo-hidrico'>water risk</a> in operations and supply chains.</li><li><strong>Climate adaptation</strong>: they identify areas vulnerable to prolonged droughts.</li></ol><h2>The situation in Spain</h2><p>Spain is one of the European countries with the highest water scarcity. Several Mediterranean basins, such as the Segura, Júcar and Guadiana, regularly experience very high water stress, with demand in some periods approaching or exceeding the renewable resources available, while basins in the north of the country generally have more water available per inhabitant. The exact values vary year to year and depend on the methodology used, so they should be read as indicative rather than fixed figures.</p><h2>Related regulation</h2><ul><li><a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/eu-water-framework-directive'>EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)</a>: the European framework for sustainable water management.</li><li><strong>National Hydrological Plan (Spain)</strong> and Law 10/2001, which use scarcity criteria in water planning.</li><li><strong>River basin drought plans</strong> drawn up by the river basin authorities.</li></ul><h2>Practical applications</h2><h3>Agriculture</h3><ul><li>Planning crops according to water availability.</li><li>Optimising irrigation to ease pressure in critical areas.</li></ul><h3>Industry</h3><ul><li>Assessing risk for water-intensive plants (food, textiles, energy).</li><li>Designing wastewater reuse systems.</li></ul><h3>Public policy</h3><ul><li>Setting consumption restrictions during droughts.</li><li>Prioritising human supply over industrial or agricultural uses.</li></ul><h2>Limitations</h2><ol><li><strong>It does not capture water quality</strong>: polluted water that is technically available is not usable.</li><li><strong>Temporal variability</strong>: an annual value can hide seasonal droughts.</li><li><strong>Efficiency</strong>: a simple coefficient does not reflect network losses or irrigation inefficiencies.</li></ol><h2>Links to the circular economy</h2><p>Scarcity coefficients encourage companies and governments to apply <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/circular-economy'>circular economy</a> measures to water, such as reusing wastewater, improving efficiency in agricultural and industrial processes, and designing less water-intensive products.</p><p>At <strong>Manglai</strong> we help companies measure their water footprint and assess water-related risk across their operations and value chain. <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en'>Discover how Manglai can help you</a>.</p>

A water scarcity coefficient expresses the ratio between water demand and availability in an area. AWARE (Available WAter REmaining) is the WULCA consensus method used to quantify water scarcity in life cycle assessment.

Water scarcity coefficient and AWARE: definition, calculation and uses

Water stewardship promotes water use that is socially equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial, managed at catchment scale. Manglai helps you measure your water performance.

Water stewardship

<p><strong>Water stewardship</strong> is the use of water that is socially equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial, achieved through a stakeholder inclusive process that operates at the scale of the river catchment. The underlying idea is that no company can manage water well in isolation: water is a shared resource, and risks and impacts occur at catchment level, not at the factory gate.</p><p>This concept goes beyond simple water efficiency. Cutting consumption inside facilities is necessary but not sufficient: water stewardship also requires understanding the catchment, collaborating with other users, protecting aquatic ecosystems and contributing to the <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/gobernanza-hidrica'>water governance</a> of the territory.</p><h2>The AWS standard</h2><p>The reference framework is the International Water Stewardship Standard from the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS), a global alliance that defines the principles and requirements an organisation must meet to demonstrate responsible water management at a site. In March 2026, AWS launched version 3.0 of the standard, which streamlines requirements for cost effective implementation at scale and strengthens its integration with corporate sustainability reporting frameworks.</p><p>The standard organises action around five outcomes: good water governance, sustainable water balance, good water quality status, healthy freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity, and safe water, sanitation and hygiene for all. Implementation follows a five step cycle: gather and understand, commit and plan, implement, evaluate, and communicate and disclose. Certification is carried out per site and on the basis of a catchment analysis.</p><h2>Stewardship versus water footprint</h2><p>The <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/water-footprint'>water footprint</a> measures how much water is used and where; water stewardship is the management response to that measurement. A company first quantifies its footprint and its <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/riesgo-hidrico'>water risk</a>, and then applies stewardship to reduce that risk collaboratively. The two concepts complement each other: without data there is no credible stewardship, and without stewardship the data does not turn into action.</p><h2>Link with ESG reporting</h2><p>Water stewardship is increasingly tied to corporate disclosure. Initiatives such as <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/cdp-water-disclosure'>CDP Water Disclosure</a> ask companies to report how they manage water in stressed areas, and many adopt commitments such as <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/water-neutrality'>water neutrality</a> or catchment replenishment. Demonstrating water stewardship strengthens the <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/water-security'>water security</a> of operations and credibility with investors and regulators.</p><h2>How to get started</h2><p>Implementing water stewardship usually follows these steps: understand the catchment and shared risks, measure the water footprint of the site, set targets consistent with the local context, collaborate with other users and authorities, and report results transparently.</p><p>The business case is straightforward: stewardship lowers the operational and reputational risk tied to water availability, reinforces the social licence to operate in water stressed territories and eases access to markets and financing that require solid environmental credentials. In sectors such as agrifood, beverages, textiles or energy, where water is a critical input, good stewardship can be the difference between a resilient operation and an exposed one.</p><h2>Measure and manage your water with Manglai</h2><p>Water stewardship starts with understanding your real water impact. With <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/products/water-footprint'>Manglai's water footprint module</a> you can measure consumption site by site and prioritise where to act across your value chain.</p>

Water use that is socially equitable, environmentally sustainable and economically beneficial, managed through a stakeholder process at catchment scale. It goes beyond efficiency.

What is water stewardship?

The water stress index measures the pressure that human demand puts on a region's renewable freshwater. Learn how it is calculated and why it matters for business. Manglai helps you assess water risk.

Water stress index

<p>The <strong>water stress index</strong> is an indicator that quantifies the pressure human water demand places on the renewable freshwater available in a given area. It is expressed as a percentage relating total annual water withdrawals to total renewable freshwater resources.</p><p>When this value exceeds <strong>40%</strong>, a region is considered to be under <strong>high water stress</strong>, according to international references such as the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Above <strong>80%</strong>, it is described as <strong>extremely high water stress</strong>, a situation that seriously compromises the environmental and socio-economic sustainability of a territory. The same ratio underpins SDG indicator 6.4.2 (level of water stress).</p><h2>How it is calculated</h2><p>The index uses the following formula:</p><p><strong>Water stress index (%) = (total annual water withdrawals / annual renewable water resources) x 100</strong></p><p>It can be calculated at national, regional, river-basin or even sub-basin level, and is typically updated each year in global water-security assessments such as WRI's <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/aqueduct-water-risk-atlas'>Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas</a>.</p><h2>What does a high value mean?</h2><p>A high index means a region is withdrawing water at an unsustainable rate, leaving little room for aquifers to recharge naturally, for rivers to maintain their environmental flow, or for future needs to be met. It also implies high exposure to shortages in the event of drought or rising demand.</p><p>In other words, the <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/water-stress'><strong>water stress</strong></a> index identifies areas where human water use exceeds, or is about to exceed, the limits of the hydrological system. This affects food production, public health, industrial activity, biodiversity and political stability.</p><h2>Factors that worsen water stress</h2><p>Although the index is a technical ratio, its increase is driven by several structural causes:</p><ul><li><strong>Rapid population growth</strong> without a proportional expansion of infrastructure.</li><li><strong>Intensive agriculture</strong> based on high-consumption crops (for example avocado, rice or sugar cane).</li><li><strong>Lack of wastewater treatment and reuse.</strong></li><li><strong>Inefficient industrial use</strong> and water lost through urban network leaks.</li><li><strong>Climate change</strong>, which alters rainfall patterns and reduces aquifer recharge.</li></ul><p>These factors act in cascade, creating situations where demand consistently outstrips supply and the water system degrades progressively. The result is growing <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/escasez-hidrica'>water scarcity</a>.</p><h2>Consequences of operating in water-stressed regions</h2><ul><li>Reduced food security due to a shortage of water for irrigation.</li><li>Conflicts between sectors (agricultural vs urban, industrial vs ecological).</li><li>Higher water costs and the risk of rationing.</li><li>Loss of biodiversity and collapse of aquatic ecosystems.</li><li>Reputational and operational risks for companies that withdraw water in vulnerable areas.</li></ul><h2>Use in public policy</h2><p>The water stress index is a key indicator in water planning, the allocation of abstraction permits and infrastructure investment. It allows governments to define priority areas for intervention, set abstraction limits and environmental flows, plan water-efficiency measures in key sectors, and justify investment in desalination, rainwater harvesting or reuse.</p><h2>Importance for companies and ESG analysis</h2><p>From a business perspective, operating in regions with a high water stress index is a material risk. Companies should assess their exposure, measure their <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/water-footprint'><strong>water footprint</strong></a> and take decisions that reduce their vulnerability.</p><p>Frameworks such as CDP Water and the GRI standards require companies to report the location of their operations in relation to local water stress, and climate-related disclosures aligned with the former TCFD recommendations are now consolidated into IFRS S2. Failing to disclose can erode the trust of investors, customers and regulators.</p><h2>How to reduce water stress</h2><ul><li><strong>More efficient irrigation</strong> (drip irrigation and soil-moisture sensors).</li><li><strong>Greywater reuse</strong> for non-potable uses.</li><li><strong>Removing perverse subsidies</strong> for intensive water use.</li><li><strong>Water circular-economy strategies</strong> in industry and municipalities.</li><li><strong>Education</strong> for responsible use and conservation.</li></ul><h2>A thermometer of water sustainability</h2><p>The water stress index is a warning signal about the sustainability of current production and consumption models. Monitoring it and acting accordingly is essential to safeguard <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/water-security'>water security</a> in the decades ahead.</p><p>At <strong>Manglai</strong> we help companies measure their environmental and water footprint and prepare their sustainability reporting. <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en'>Discover how Manglai can help you</a>.</p>

The water stress index is the ratio of total water withdrawals to available renewable freshwater. A guide to its thresholds, drivers and relevance for ESG reporting.

What is the water stress index?

Whole-Life Carbon (WLC) captures all the greenhouse gas emissions of a building across its entire life cycle, from materials to end of life. At Manglai we help companies measure and reduce their carbon footprint.

Whole‑Life Carbon (WLC)

<p><strong>Whole-Life Carbon (WLC)</strong> is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with a built asset across its entire life cycle, from the extraction of materials through construction, use and eventual demolition or reuse. It brings together two parts that are often considered separately: the <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/embodied-carbon'>embodied carbon</a> of materials and construction, and the operational carbon from running the building.</p><p>Measuring whole-life carbon gives a complete picture of a building's climate impact and avoids the trap of optimising one stage (for example operational energy) while ignoring another (for example the carbon embedded in concrete and steel).</p><h2>What whole-life carbon includes</h2><p>Following the life cycle structure of the European standard EN 15978, whole-life carbon brings together the main life cycle stages of a building:</p><ul><li><strong>Initial embodied carbon (modules A1 to A5):</strong> raw material supply, transport and construction.</li><li><strong>Use-stage embodied carbon (modules B1 to B5):</strong> maintenance, repair, replacement and refurbishment.</li><li><strong>Operational carbon (modules B6 and B7):</strong> energy used in operation (B6) and water use (B7).</li><li><strong>End-of-life carbon (modules C1 to C4):</strong> demolition, transport, waste processing and disposal.</li><li><strong>Benefits and loads beyond the system boundary (module D):</strong> potential benefits from reuse, recovery and recycling.</li></ul><p>In simple terms, whole-life carbon is the sum of embodied, operational and end-of-life emissions, with module D reported separately as a potential circular-economy benefit.</p><h2>Guidance and standards</h2><p>Whole-life carbon assessment is supported by several frameworks:</p><ul><li><strong>EN 15978</strong>, which sets the methodology for assessing the environmental performance of buildings.</li><li>The <strong>RICS Whole Life Carbon Assessment for the Built Environment</strong>, whose second edition (published 2023) is a widely used professional standard.</li><li>The European <strong>Level(s)</strong> framework, which provides common indicators for the sustainability of buildings.</li></ul><p>Several jurisdictions and voluntary initiatives also set per-square-metre carbon benchmarks for new buildings and roadmaps towards net zero, though the specific limits vary by country and scheme.</p><h2>Modelling tools</h2><p>Whole-life carbon is typically calculated by combining building information modelling with <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/life-cycle-assessment'>life cycle assessment (LCA)</a>, often using specialised software and supported by <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/environmental-product-declaration'>Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)</a> for materials. Real operational energy can be tracked through building management systems, and tools such as a <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/digital-product-passport'>Digital Product Passport</a> can support material traceability and circular reuse.</p><h2>Strategies to reduce whole-life carbon</h2><ul><li><strong>Low-carbon materials:</strong> for example timber, lower-carbon concrete and steel produced with cleaner processes.</li><li><strong>Passive design:</strong> compact form, good orientation and a high-performance envelope to cut operational energy.</li><li><strong>On-site renewables:</strong> solar PV, heat pumps and storage to reduce operational emissions.</li><li><strong>Maintenance and longevity:</strong> designing for durability and avoiding premature replacement.</li><li><strong>Circular strategies:</strong> design for disassembly and reuse, supporting <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/circular-economy'>circular economy</a> outcomes.</li></ul><p>Whole-life carbon gives a complete view of a building's emissions and guides decisions on design, materials and operation. Reaching <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/net-zero-emissions'>net zero</a> in the built environment requires combining dynamic LCA, renewables and circularity, supported by regulation and <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/green-finance'>green finance</a>. At <strong>Manglai</strong> we help companies measure their carbon footprint and prepare their sustainability reporting with rigorous, verifiable data. <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en'>Discover how Manglai can help you</a>.</p>

Whole-Life Carbon (WLC) is the total carbon footprint of a built asset across its whole life cycle, combining embodied and operational emissions. It is central to designing low-carbon and net-zero buildings.

What is Whole-Life Carbon (WLC) in buildings?

Zero Waste Certified accredits that an organisation diverts at least 90% of its waste from landfill and incineration. Manglai helps companies measure their footprint and advance towards the circular economy.

Zero Waste Certified

<p><strong>Zero Waste Certified</strong> is a certification that recognises organisations which manage their waste responsibly, prioritising prevention, reuse, recycling and recovery to the point of diverting at least 90% of their waste from landfill and incineration. The "zero waste" idea has moved from being an environmental philosophy to an internationally certified business model, and a growing number of companies in Spain and Europe adopt it as a way to differentiate themselves and align with the <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/circular-economy'>circular economy</a>.</p><h2>What is Zero Waste Certified?</h2><p>Zero Waste certification schemes assess an organisation's performance in waste management, verifying that:</p><ul><li>The <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/jerarquia-residuos'>waste hierarchy</a> is applied, prioritising prevention, reduction, reuse and recycling.</li><li>Disposal to landfill or incineration is minimised.</li><li>The circularity of materials across the value chain is promoted.</li></ul><p>Certification can be applied to industrial plants, offices and corporate buildings, logistics centres, and events or trade fairs.</p><h2>Bodies that issue the certification</h2><p>Several internationally recognised schemes exist:</p><ol><li><strong>UL Solutions (UL 2799):</strong> the UL 2799 "Zero Waste to Landfill" standard validates landfill diversion claims, with Silver (90-94%), Gold (95-99%) and Platinum (100%) designations. It is widely used by multinationals with factories in different countries.</li><li><strong>TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency):</strong> administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the same body behind <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/leed-certification'>LEED</a>. TRUE is based on the Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA) definition and requires an average diversion of at least 90% over 12 months.</li><li><strong>Local schemes in Europe:</strong> some certification bodies, including AENOR in Spain, offer "zero waste" verification adapted to the European framework and to Spanish legislation such as <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/ley-7-2022-residuos-suelos-contaminados'>Law 7/2022</a>.</li></ol><h2>General requirements</h2><p>To obtain Zero Waste certification, organisations generally must meet criteria including:</p><ul><li>A minimum 90% diversion of generated waste away from landfill and incineration.</li><li>Implementation of a comprehensive waste management plan.</li><li>Documentary evidence and traceability of waste outputs.</li><li>External audits that verify the results.</li><li>Employee training and awareness.</li><li>Periodic review to maintain the certification.</li></ul><h2>Related regulations</h2><p>Although Zero Waste certification is voluntary, it aligns with the main European and Spanish rules on waste:</p><ul><li><a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/directiva-marco-residuos-2008-98-ce'>Directive 2008/98/EC (Waste Framework Directive)</a>, as amended (including by Directive (EU) 2018/851, which set recycling and landfill-reduction targets).</li><li><a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/ley-7-2022-residuos-suelos-contaminados'>Law 7/2022 on waste and contaminated land for a circular economy</a>.</li><li><a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/real-decreto-1055-2022-envases'>Royal Decree 1055/2022 on packaging and packaging waste</a>.</li></ul><p>This makes Zero Waste Certified a useful tool for demonstrating regulatory compliance and a voluntary commitment that goes beyond legal requirements.</p><h2>Benefits for companies</h2><h3>Environmental</h3><ul><li>A sharp reduction in waste sent to landfill.</li><li>Savings of natural resources through recycling and reuse.</li><li>A lower carbon footprint.</li></ul><h3>Economic</h3><ul><li>Savings on waste disposal costs.</li><li>Potential revenue from recovering by-products.</li><li>Access to green finance and incentives.</li></ul><h3>Social and reputational</h3><ul><li>An improved corporate image and consumer trust.</li><li>Attraction and retention of talent.</li><li>Positioning as a sustainability leader.</li></ul><h2>Challenges of certification</h2><ol><li><strong>Traceability of secondary waste:</strong> ensuring the material does not ultimately end up in landfill.</li><li><strong>Applicability in SMEs,</strong> where resources are limited.</li><li><strong>International standardisation</strong> of criteria, which still varies by certifying body.</li><li><strong>Risk of <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/greenwashing'>greenwashing</a></strong> if audits are not rigorous.</li></ol><h2>Relationship with the circular economy</h2><p>Zero Waste Certified puts the principles of the <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/circular-economy'>circular economy</a> into practice by demonstrating that a company minimises waste and reincorporates materials into productive cycles. It is also a verifiable indicator of commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in sectors that generate large volumes of waste such as food, logistics, automotive and textiles.</p><p>At <strong>Manglai</strong> we help companies measure their carbon footprint and prepare their sustainability reporting. <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en'>Discover how Manglai can help you</a>.</p>

Zero Waste Certified accredits responsible waste management, diverting at least 90% of waste from landfill and incineration in line with the circular economy.

What is Zero Waste Certified? Requirements and benefits for companies

Learn what the zero waste economy is and why it is central to the circular economy and sustainable development. At Manglai we help companies turn waste reduction into measurable results.

Zero waste economy (Zero Waste)

<h2>What is the zero waste economy?</h2><p>The <strong>zero waste economy</strong> describes a production and consumption model designed to keep material resources in use, retaining their functional value for as long as possible. Instead of treating waste as an inevitable by-product, this approach views materials as resources that should be reincorporated into the productive cycle, so that, as far as possible, nothing is sent to landfill or incineration without recovery.</p><h2>Origins and evolution of the concept</h2><p>The term gained traction from the work of chemist <strong>Paul Palmer</strong>, who used 'Zero Waste' in California from the 1970s in the context of recovering chemical products, although the underlying ideas connect with the principles of the <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/circular-economy'>circular economy</a> developed by authors such as Walter R. Stahel. Over the following decades, the concept evolved from a focus on industrial materials to a broad framework covering product design, consumption and municipal waste management.</p><h2>Economic and competitive benefits</h2><p>Adopting zero waste strategies can deliver tangible business value, although the size of the benefit varies widely by sector and context:</p><ul><li><strong>Cost savings:</strong> replacing virgin raw materials with recovered or secondary materials can reduce purchasing and disposal costs.</li><li><strong>Reduced regulatory and price risk:</strong> lower exposure to landfill taxes and to volatile commodity prices.</li><li><strong>Brand and reputation:</strong> credible waste reduction supports relationships with customers, investors and regulators.</li></ul><p>These advantages depend on robust measurement: claims should always be backed by verifiable data rather than generic percentages.</p><h2>Regulatory framework in Spain and the EU</h2><p>In Spain, <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/ley-7-2022-residuos-suelos-contaminados'>Law 7/2022 of 8 April on waste and contaminated soil for a circular economy</a> sets reuse and recycling targets aligned with EU <strong>Directive (EU) 2018/851</strong>, which amended the Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC). National waste planning, through the State Framework Waste Management Plan (PEMAR), establishes objectives and indicators to track progress towards reducing landfilling. Voluntary schemes such as 'Zero Waste to Landfill' certification and the <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/b-corp-certification'>B Corp certification</a> are increasingly used by companies to demonstrate commitment.</p><h2>How to implement a zero waste model step by step</h2><p>The path towards zero waste usually begins with a detailed audit of input and output flows. Based on the results, production processes are redesigned to eliminate materials that are hard to recycle, and single-use packaging is replaced with reusable alternatives wherever possible.</p><p>Working with authorised waste managers helps identify high-value recovery routes, such as the production of secondary raw materials. Tracking indicators, for example the landfill diversion rate, the cost per tonne of waste avoided and equivalent emissions, supports data-driven decisions.</p><h2>Key performance indicators (KPIs)</h2><p>Among the most commonly used parameters are the <strong>landfill diversion rate</strong>, the <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en/glossary/indice-de-circularidad'>Material Circularity Indicator (MCI)</a> and waste intensity per unit of product. These metrics make it possible to compare performance over time and across sites.</p><h2>A zero waste economy: an opportunity for companies</h2><p>The zero waste economy combines environmental rigour with profitability. Its adoption in Spain and across Europe is being driven by regulatory pressure, consumer demand and the search for resource efficiency. Organisations that integrate its principles proactively can build durable competitive advantages. At <strong>Manglai</strong> we help companies measure their carbon footprint and prepare their sustainability reporting, including waste and circularity metrics. <a href='https://www.manglai.io/en'>Discover how Manglai can help you</a>.</p>

The zero waste economy is a production and consumption model designed to keep materials in use for as long as possible and prevent waste from being generated in the first place.

Glossary of terms related to
carbon footprint measurement

C

Water scarcity coefficient (AWARE)

E

Zero waste economy (Zero Waste)

W

Water scarcity assessment

Water stewardship

Water stress index

Whole‑Life Carbon (WLC)

Z

Zero Waste Certified

Manglai Newsletter

Glossary of terms related to carbon footprint measurement

C

Water scarcity coefficient (AWARE)

E

Zero waste economy (Zero Waste)

W

Water scarcity assessment

Water stewardship

Water stress index

Whole‑Life Carbon (WLC)

Z

Zero Waste Certified

Manglai Newsletter

Glossary of terms related to
carbon footprint measurement