A recently released survey found water use efficiency helps more than a company’s corporate imagine, but in fact is great for the bottom line. The survey, “Unlocking the Profit in Water Savings,” released by research analysts Ethical Corporation found that 99 percent of corporate sustainability managers saw water becoming a top priority for businesses in the next 5 to 10 years. The report also found, 52 percent of sustainability managers ranked “water stewardship” within the top five most important issues they deal with now.

During the process of writing the report, many global corporate giants were interviewed, including Unilever, Kraft, Coca-Cola and Shell. The conclusion was simple: saving water meant saving money. Most companies noted water savings programs outperformed company projected estimates.

As companies up and down California look for innovative ways to climb out of this recession, we hope this report sheds some light on a tool that is good for business and good for environment. Pursuing water conservation is clearly another way for California to transition from the old 20th century economy to a green 21st century one.