Browse benchmark reports, webinars and insights from EHS&S industry leaders.

Reports

Leading-Edge Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategies

Report

Get a closer look at the specific steps companies are taking to reduce their GHG emissions within their operations and beyond. While the companies featured here are industry leaders, these types of companies tend to push the horizon for the broader community.
Planning for a Sustainable Future (2018)

Report

What’s next for your EHS&S program? What are the issues that will shape EHS & Sustainability management in the 18-36 months to come? By conducting a quantitative benchmark and in-depth interviews with those on the leading edge of corporate sustainability today, NAEM has identified the issues that will drive new programs going forward.
Environmental Risk Auditing

Report

This report reveals the proactive strategies companies are using to evaluate their preparedness for rare but impactful events.

Browse by Subcategory

Webinars

Managing PFAS Risks Under Increasingly Stringent Regulations

Webinar

Join this webinar for insight into effectively managing the risks associated with PFAS-contaminated environmental media under increasingly stringent federal and state regulations.
The Intersections of Climate Risk & Environmental Justice

Webinar

This webinar will help EHS & Sustainability leaders understand the scope and interrelatedness of climate change risk and environmental justice. It will also demonstrate a method for analysis using a relevant case study and offer recommendations for corporate policy development in relation to these issues.
Secrets of Successful Source Emission Test Programs

Webinar

Join us for a higher level, technical overview of an emission test that will cover what a test program can and can’t accomplish; general categories of field-test methods; important fundamentals of a program; examples of cost-saving measures based on case studies; and what to look for when engaging a test firm.

1 (current)
2
3
4
5
6
7

Browse by Subcategory

Blog Posts

Three Keys to Intel's Global Water Stewardship Program

Fawn Bergen

July 23, 2018

Next week I will be joining my peers at NAEM’s 2018 Sustainability Management Conference to share Intel’s story on a topic that I am really excited about – water stewardship. You may be asking why a technology company would be excited to talk about water.

As we all know, water is critical to life on this planet, but you may not know that water is critical to the technology industry – from semiconductor manufacturing to data center cooling as well as office buildings (e.g., cooling towers, landscaping, restrooms, cafés, etc.). The technology that is part of nearly every aspect of our lives also depends on water. A significant challenge our industry faces is the water-intensive process of manufacturing semiconductors, which is driven not only by company growth but by the complexity of each new technology.

So how does one of the world’s largest technology company manage water? Through our multi-faceted water strategy that includes three main objectives:

Conserve water used in our operations,
Collaborate on water initiatives, and
Create technology solutions to help others reinvent how they use water.

Conserve
We’ve invested more than $200 million in innovative water conservation practices in its global operations for the last two decades, saving about 60 billion gallons of water. During 2017, we saved about 3.5 billion gallons per year (BGY) of water and completed new water conservation projects estimated to save approximately 1.3 BGY. An example of a water conservation project completed in 2017 is a water reclamation project in Dalian, China. The reclaimed water will be used in several mechanical systems and is estimated to save 174 million gallons of fresh water per year.

Collaborate
Intel treats and returns approximately 80 percent of the water it uses back to municipal water treatment operations for community reuse or groundwater recharge. The remaining 20 percent is consumed through evaporation, landscaping irrigation, and waste streams. In 2017, we announced a new goal to close this gap in our water balance and restore 100 percent of our global water use by 2025. We are achieving this goal through partnerships with environmental groups to support a portfolio of projects that restore water to our local watersheds in amounts equivalent to what Intel consumes.

One example of a restoration project supported by Intel is Mountain Island Ranch, a 125,000 acre ranch along the Colorado River – the lifeline of the southwestern US. Trout Unlimited is working with the rancher to convert crops and implement irrigation improvements that are estimated to restore 142 million gallons of water each year to the River. To learn more about how we have achieved nearly 40% of our global goal over the last year, check out www.intel.com/water.

Create
Intel is developing smart technology that empowers others to reinvent the way they use and conserve water. One example of how Intel is driving this type of innovation is an IoT pilot project conducted in partnership with Vanasche Farm, a hazelnut farm in Oregon. The system tracks weather patterns and measures precise soil moisture at various locations across the farm with the goal of reducing water use by optimizing watering times.

I am very proud of the progress that we have made, but continuing to build momentum in this space will require new approaches and collaborative partnerships. Intel is committed to being part of the water solution through efficient water management within its operations, water stewardship and innovative partnerships, and leveraging Intel technology to help address the world’s water challenges. I look forward to connecting with many of you at the Sustainability Management Conference and collaborating on solutions to our shared water challenges.

Topics: EHS&S Strategy Environmental Stewardship Goals and Metrics Sustainability Water Management

About the Author

Fawn Bergen

Intel Corp.

Fawn Bergen leads Intel’s global sustainability programs for water sustainability (conservation and stewardship) and carbon footprint. Fawn has worked in the environmental field for more than 20 years with experience in environmental sustainability and compliance program management, strategy development, environmental permitting, regulatory interpretation, auditing and training. Her career has spanned multiple roles in the manufacturing and mining industries (AMCOL International and CEMEX Inc.) as well as environmental consulting (Koogler Associates, Golder Associates, and MACTEC/ESE).

Fawn has a B.S. in environmental engineering from the University of Florida. She is a resident of Portland, Oregon, where she enjoys the beautiful Pacific Northwest outdoors with her two children and husband.

Case Studies

Southern Company’s Strategic Approach to Conservation Leadership

Case Study

Read a comprehensive case study of how Southern Company structured, built and funded their landmark environmental stewardship program.