"WASHINGTON — Major corporations in water-guzzling industries such as clothing, food, beverage and technology want to be better stewards of the freshwater they use — especially as drought, floods and other extreme weather intensified by climate change threaten their supply chains. But of 72 companies ranked by a sustainability nonprofit over the past year, few are close to achieving their 2030 targets.

Last year, Ceres launched an effort to press companies with large water footprints to protect those resources and address related financial risks. On Wednesday, the group released an analysis that found most of the assessed companies — including such powerhouses as Coca-Cola, General Mills and Amazon — have set targets but aren’t close to meeting them.

“There’s no doubt that companies need to do better,” said Kirsten James, senior program director for water at Ceres."

Suman Naishadham and Brittany Peterson report for the Associated Press October 25, 2023. [2]