What are the WAVE programs?

The WAVE brand is The Water Council‘s suite of programs with increasing rigor and action requirements. WAVE: Assess is our verification program that provides a methodology to help organizations assess water use, impact and risk across their enterprise. WAVE: Action is a separate verification program that helps organizations set targets that directly mitigate highest priority risks and prepare for engaging stakeholders in collaborate actions that address shared challenges and opportunities.

I thought WAVE was a single program.

Originally, there was only one “WAVE” program – WAVE: Water Stewardship Verified (see next question). That program still exists in its same form but with a different name.

What happened to the old WAVE: Water Stewardship Verified?

What we now call “WAVE: Assess” was originally known as “WAVE: Water Stewardship Verified.” We kept the WAVE branding and expanded it to a new program (see “What is WAVE: Action?” below). Only the name and branding has changed. WAVE: Assess is the same program with the same verification requirements as the original program.

What is WAVE: Assess?

WAVE: Assess is our verification program that provides a five-step process to guide organizations through assessing water use, impact and risk across their enterprise. As a result, participants will develop an organizational water profile, priority list of sites exposed to water risks and list of necessary actions to address risks, challenges and opportunities. Organizations also develop a water policy or commitment statement and disclose the outcomes of finishing the WAVE: Assess program. All participants must seek independent verification (see “Who provides WAVE verification services?” for more information).

What is WAVE: Action?

WAVE: Action is our verification program that provides a four-step process to guide organizations through setting targets and identifying key stakeholder with whom they can eventually collaborate with on actions that address shared challenges and opportunities. As a result, participants will set, revise and/or validate enterprise and site-level targets as warranted. They will ensure the appropriate data is collected and monitored as well as categorized for external disclosure. Opportunities for collective action will be rank ordered by level of risk at the site and potential for impact. All participants must seek independent verification (see “Who provides WAVE verification services?” for more information).

Are there fees to join the WAVE programs?

Yes. There is an initial program fee for both programs that is determined on an individual basis. No matter the initial program fee, each new participant receives one year’s membership with The Water Council as a Water Champion (a $4,500 value).

Who provides WAVE verification services?

SCS Global Services is our exclusive provider of verification services for our WAVE programs. SCS has been providing global leadership in third-party environmental, sustainability, food safety and quality certification, auditing, and standards development since 1984.

Is there a verification fee?

Yes. SCS Global Services independently sets the verification fees for the WAVE programs. When WAVE participants are ready to seek verification to their respective program, they work directly with SCS on verification fees and associated contracting. TWC is not involved in this process.

How long does the verification period last for WAVE programs?

Both WAVE: Assess and WAVE: Action have two-year verification periods. Each also has a mid-point check-in requirement with TWC and SCS. Participants in WAVE: Assess can only seek re-verification twice.

Is there a re-verification fee?

Yes, there are two sets of fees association with re-verification. First, there is a WAVE program fee for re-verification paid directly to TWC. That fee is $10,000 and includes a one-year’s membership as a Water Champion (a $4,500 value). There is a separate re-verification fee for the audit charged by SCS. Like the verification fee, WAVE participants will work directly with SCS to pay that fee and schedule and contract for the re-verification.

Do I have to be WAVE: Assess verified in order to start WAVE: Action?

No. For interested organizations that did not participate in WAVE: Assess the following pre-requisites are required:

• Risk assessment and prioritization that generally aligns with WAVE: Assess
• Senior level commitment statement (or policy) on water

For organizations that did not achieve verification to WAVE: Assess, the risk assessment(s) and commitment statement(s) must be reviewed and approved by TWC prior to implementing WAVE: Action.

If I do WAVE: Assess, am I obligated to do WAVE: Action at a later date?

Technically, no. However, organizations may only re-verify twice to WAVE: Assess (for a total of three verification periods). The intent of the WAVE programs is to move participants toward more rigorous water stewardship action which is accomplished when moving from risk assessment to target setting and action.