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Helping clients achieve responsible water use throughout their operations

ISS partnered with a global manufacturing client to better integrate their newly redesigned ESG objectives throughout their sustainability agenda, and more powerfully impact the business operations at a major manufacturing site in Mexico.

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This client understands that optimising water usage has a significant impact on sustainability initiatives. They need a partner that assists them to responsibly plan and manage resources in a way that is socially equitable, environmentally sustainable, and economically beneficial. ISS supports its clients by identifying savings opportunities and integrating new processes, tools and systems so that costs are minimised, risks mitigated, and the ultimate joint goal of net zero is tackled collaboratively. 

Key water stewardship initiatives and their impact
ISS is responsible for operating compressors, chillers and boilers at the client’s site and has made significant enhancements in the following areas:

  • Reduced water consumption
    ISS technicians installed a frequency converter on Inverse Osmosis equipment and optimised its configuration to reduce flow and pressure to osmosis membranes resulting in increased permeate recovery. Water consumption was reduced by approximately 12 m3/day in the supply for boilers, resulting in estimated savings of 4,380 m3/year, demonstrating that even incremental improvements will have a significant difference over the long term. 
  • Improved process efficiency
    ISS implemented new initiatives, including the Inverse Osmosis Upgrade, to increase water use efficiency from 50% to close to 75% on average.

  • Reduced water related costs
    Supply and discharge costs decreased because of reduced water consumption. Within the first 8 months of operation after the upgrade, the savings generated were 3,161 m3 and will continue to grow. 

  • Reduced risk
    ISS optimised water efficiency and reduced the risk related to the water supply.

Enabling clients to meet cost savings and sustainability goals simultaneously
ISS’ expertise in energy management and sustainability helped to enable the client, despite the challenging current economic environment, to deliver a strong financial performance while continuing to adhere to sound environmental practice improvements. There are possibilities to scale these initiatives and best practices across additional locations in the future to further standardise and capitalise on these efforts. 

In a pivotal year for societal action on climate change, the client accelerated their targets for carbon neutrality in operations and net-zero emissions across the value chain. They continue to make progress in their water stewardship goals as part of meaningful steps toward developing a holistic biodiversity strategy with ISS as their partner.