Ecolab: Prioritising Water Management and Sustainability

Sustainability no longer sits on the fringes of corporate decision-making. Once considered a reputational add-on, it now forms a key part of business growth strategies.

Emilio Tenuta, Chief Sustainability Officer at Ecolab, leads this transformation from within one of the world’s largest providers of water, hygiene and infection prevention services.

Having spent more than 40 years at Ecolab and 16 in sustainability leadership, Emilio says: "The biggest shift I've seen is that sustainability has moved from the sidelines to the centre of the business strategy."

Emilio challenges businesses to demonstrate “proof, not promises” on environmental impact.

This demand for action over intention formed the basis of his keynote at Sustainability LIVE: Climate Week NYC. It’s also reflected in Ecolab’s results.

Since 2019, the company has helped clients achieve US$9.1bn in cumulative value, mainly through water conservation, resource management and operational efficiency.

Water management is now business-critical

Water scarcity no longer sits outside financial planning.

Emilio says: "Water is the number one physical risk that companies will face in the changing climate."

Current estimates point to a 56% global freshwater deficit by 2030, posing an existential threat to businesses across all sectors.

Ecolab’s science-based and digital solutions target this directly. In 2024 alone, its technologies helped customers conserve 226bn gallons of water.

Emilio explains: “If you use less water, you're less vulnerable to climate change. But at the same time, if you use less water, you also use less energy because water requires heating, cooling and pumping.”

Ecolab’s technologies also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4.6m tons and safeguard 1.7bn people from foodborne illnesses through hygiene and food safety programmes.

These outcomes demonstrate how environmental and operational goals now align.

For Emilio, sustainability is no longer separate from commercial targets.

“Value creation is the primary aim of every business, and value drives growth,” he says.

Smart technology and AI boost resilience

Artificial intelligence and digital tools sit at the centre of Ecolab’s strategy.

Through technologies like 3D TRASAR, which monitors direct-to-chip liquid cooling in data centres, Ecolab helps firms meet the growing demands of digital infrastructure while cutting environmental impact.

The company pilots an AI-enabled water conservation solution with Digital Realty, a global provider of data centres and interconnection services.

This project enhances water use efficiency and improves resilience against climate and operational risks.

Emilio is clear about the need for urgency: “We see the effects of climate change impacting areas around the world and it is imperative to continue to innovate and to use the technology already on the shelf. Now, it's really a matter of enabling that technology with the growth of AI.”

Ecolab plans to launch an AI-powered version of its Smart Water Navigator by 2026.

This digital tool helps companies assess local water risks, set goals based on their specific water context, and implement efficient water use strategies.

Emilio sees these technologies as essential to shifting away from the “flush and forget” approach to one of circular use. Circular water strategies replace waste with reuse.

“We need to rethink the water cycle and view water as a strategic asset, not as a liability,” says Emilio.

This approach requires redesigning operational processes to capture, treat and reuse water. The result is lower resource dependency, reduced operational costs and better business resilience.

Collaboration and corporate alignment lead progress

Sustainability programmes now demand cross-sector collaboration and firm-wide commitment.

"We can’t do it alone," says Emilio, referring to the shared risks that water scarcity poses. Ecolab helps coordinate global initiatives to advance collective water resilience.

The Water Resilience Coalition, co-founded by Ecolab in 2020, focuses on stressed water basins with support from the United Nations.

In 2023, the company launched the California Water Resilience Initiative to bring businesses together around regional water challenges.

Ecolab also partners with corporates, including Microsoft and Starbucks to support safe water and sanitation for 15 million people globally through WaterEquity’s Water & Climate Resilience Fund, investing more than US$100m.

Internally, Ecolab embeds sustainability into the core of its business strategy.

“Sustainability needs to be aligned with the business strategy and it is now more than ever reaching the boardroom,” Emilio explains.

He insists on measurable outcomes, including resource efficiency, risk mitigation and innovation metrics, to secure long-term support.

Digital systems allow Ecolab’s clients to track impact in real time, strengthening business cases for ongoing sustainability investments.

For Emilio, this is both a professional mission and a personal passion: “I love getting up every morning knowing that we are driving business growth and community resilience while making a real impact on the planet at the same time.”

In Emilio’s view, the path forward is clear. Companies must prioritise sustainability as a core business strategy, embrace smart water management and adopt circular resource use.

With environmental and financial risk converging, water conservation now defines long-term business resilience.