Background

Established in 2018, the organisation has grown significantly from six employees to more than 41 and increased turnover from £2.8 million to £18 million through a strategy focused on innovation, sustainable growth and investment in people.

Having joined Business in the Community in January 2026, WSI used the opportunity to formalise and accelerate its Corporate Responsibility (CR) approach. While responsible business practices had long been embedded within the company culture, BITC membership acted as a catalyst for creating a structured, measurable and benchmarked CR strategy. Senior leadership made responsible business a strategic priority, introducing stronger governance, clear accountability and performance measurement systems to embed sustainability, social value and ethical business practices across all areas of the organisation.

What Water Solutions Ireland did

WSI has made significant progress in developing and implementing its first formal responsible business strategy, centred on three pillars: protecting water and the environment, supporting people and communities, and operating responsibly. The organisation completed the BITC CORE evaluation, achieving a Silver baseline rating and using the findings to shape priorities and improvement plans, particularly around climate action, biodiversity and inclusion. Governance structures were strengthened through board-level ownership, dedicated leadership resources, enhanced policies and the introduction of ESG tracking systems to measure impact more consistently.

A key example of WSI’s CR strategy in action is the Energy Reduce Use Pump Optimisation Programme. Rather than replacing infrastructure, WSI adopted a data-led and circular engineering approach that prioritised optimisation and reuse of existing assets. This reduced environmental impact while improving operational performance and delivering significant financial benefits for clients. Alongside environmental initiatives, WSI invested heavily in workforce development through apprenticeships, higher-level apprenticeships and professional qualifications, while supporting community initiatives such as Water Wise Kids, Engineers Week, Open Doors and charitable fundraising for WaterAid. The organisation has also strengthened its commitment to responsible governance through enhanced health and safety systems, ethical policies and stakeholder engagement processes.

Key Impacts and Results

• Achieved a BITC CORE Silver, establishing a formal framework for responsible business and continuous improvement
• Delivered more than £240,000 in annual savings through the Energy Reduce Use Pump Optimisation Programme
• Reduced energy consumption by over 550,000 kWh annually, resulting in approximately 120-150 tonnes of CO₂ savings each year
• Maintained uninterrupted water supply to more than 5,800 properties while delivering infrastructure improvements
• Supported local skills development by providing apprenticeship and higher-level apprenticeship opportunities for 14 individuals since January 2024, with 90% of placement students progressing into graduate roles
• Contributed approximately £29,000 to charitable causes since January 2024 and supported a WaterAid fundraising initiative raising around £120,000
• Received external recognition for its responsible business approach, including a Silver Green World Award and shortlisting in two categories at the UK Water Industry Awards 2026

What the judges said:

“Water Solutions Ireland are super passionate. They are early in their journey, but we were impressed by their strategy, energy and passion; and their desire to improve. They were open to feedback; they know they have made strides but still have steps to go.”