Water Plus, a business water retailer with its registered office in Stoke-on-Trent, has received the International CSR Excellence Award 2026 from The CSR Society. The company said its water-efficiency work with customers had saved 820,000 litres a day so far in 2026. It also said staff fundraising had paid for 620 hours of youth support for young people with cancer.
International CSR Excellence Award judged from 400 entries
The award recognises achievements and leadership in delivering lasting benefits for customers, communities and the planet. The CSR Society reviewed and assessed entries from 400 organisations.
Roger Wolens, founder of The CSR Society, which runs the awards, said: “Water Plus exemplifies the standard of excellence we seek to recognise through the International CSR Excellence Awards. Their approach demonstrates how organisations can successfully integrate sustainability into the core business, while delivering meaningful impact for communities, the environment and a wide range of stakeholders alike.”
He added: “From engaging wider audiences around ways to save water and helping thousands of sites to increase water efficiencies, to volunteering action and community support, Water Plus have shown the big and impactful difference they’re making. The kind of leadership Water Plus has shown through their actions and longer-term partnerships helps to drive real, lasting change for communities in the UK.”
Jess Archer, People Director at Water Plus, said: “From driving more positive impacts in communities, to helping customers save water with practical actions to cut running costs and carbon, we’re on a mission to do more good. So, it’s great to see this recognition for our big-hearted team, who are passionate about helping communities and customers.”
Water-saving visits and site-level savings
Customers took up more than 4,600 water-saving visits, and 800 schools took part in what the company described as a collaborative industry approach. Water Plus said 4,660 visits were completed between April 2025 and March 2026. It said savings of at least 820 cubic metres a day were tracked through meter readings taken before and after efficiency measures were installed. The activity was funded by the wholesaler United Utilities.
The company said the daily saving was enough to fill 3.2 million 250ml teacups, and that the work would help build long-term action on water scarcity risks in the UK. At one multi-site customer, more than 650 water efficiency devices were installed in 2026. These included 310 tap devices that can cut energy use by reducing hot water consumption.
At a manufacturing site, Water Plus services located and repaired an underground leak this year, saving 10,000 litres an hour. The company said this could save £300,000 in wholesaler water charges over 12 months.
Jason Scagell, Chief Executive of Water Plus, said: “We’re building more positive momentum, helping hundreds of business sites and more than 800 schools save more than 820,000 litres of water a day in 2026, which not only helps reduce carbon emissions in the UK, it can also help reduce pressure on water resources.”
Net zero target validated by SBTi
Water Plus describes itself as the UK’s largest business water retailer. It has had its 2040 net zero target validated by the Science Based Targets initiative, which the company said was a first among water retailers. The target takes account of water wholesalers’ net zero goals of 2030 in England and 2040 in Scotland. Wholesalers are part of every retailer’s supply chain and fall under Scope 3.
The company also holds a Net Zero standard from Carbon Footprint. Water Plus said this confirms that its reduction pathway beats the science-based trajectory for 1.5C. It has supported peatland restoration in Scotland and seagrass restoration near the UK, and it said its actions have created 6.8 hectares of new native woodland in the UK.
Teenage Cancer Trust partnership funds 620 support hours
Staff fundraising for Teenage Cancer Trust, the company’s national charity partner, has funded 620 Youth Support Co-ordinator hours: 465 in England and 155 in Scotland. The co-ordinators work alongside the charity’s nursing teams. They help young people deal with the emotional and practical impact of cancer, including support for mental wellbeing and relationships during treatment.
Mr Scagell, who took part in the fundraising, said: “We have had an amazing response from our kind-hearted team, which really makes a big impact so young people facing cancer have someone there to help them. The work of the Teenage Cancer Trust is superb and we’re proud to have them as a national charity partner.”
Volunteers also joined the charity to take over the digital screen at Printworks in Manchester, described as Europe’s largest, to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer in young people. More than 250 people took part on the first day. The charity has 92 nurses and Youth Support Co-ordinators and 28 specialist cancer units in hospitals across the UK.
Charlotte Alldritt, Senior Relationship Manager at Teenage Cancer Trust, said: “Every day, seven young people in the UK hear the words ‘you have cancer’, so joining our efforts with Water Plus – is – and continues to deliver meaningful and lasting positive impacts. Thank you to all the Water Plus team, you are truly making a difference to people’s lives.”
Over the last year, volunteers also helped gather more than 1.3 tonnes of donations for a foodbank’s emergency food packs. The company also supports a girls’ and ladies’ football league that includes players from Staffordshire. In 2026 it provided 160 shower timers to the league’s under-8s and under-11s teams to encourage shorter showers.
Further recognition in its tenth year
The International CSR Excellence Award comes as Water Plus marks 10 years since it was established. The company said the last year had brought further investment in the business and a move to a new site. In 2026 it was named Best Business Water Retailer in the UK Enterprise Awards and was a finalist for Water Efficiency Project of the Year at the Water Industry Awards.
It was also a finalist for two 2026 UK Customer Satisfaction Awards, after winning a 2025 award for Sustainable Customer Service from the Institute of Customer Service. Water Plus publishes further details on its corporate social responsibility and sustainability page.
Frequently asked questions
What award has Water Plus received?
Water Plus has received the International CSR Excellence Award 2026 from The CSR Society. The society reviewed and assessed entries from 400 organisations.
How much water has Water Plus helped customers save in 2026?
Water Plus said its water-saving work had saved 820,000 litres a day so far in 2026. The work included more than 4,600 customer visits and involved 800 schools, and the activity was funded by the wholesaler United Utilities.
What is Water Plus’s net zero target?
Water Plus has a net zero target for 2040, which has been validated by the Science Based Targets initiative. The company said this was a first among water retailers.
How is Water Plus supporting Teenage Cancer Trust?
Staff fundraising has funded 620 Youth Support Co-ordinator hours: 465 in England and 155 in Scotland. Volunteers also helped raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer in young people at Printworks in Manchester.
How much could the manufacturer’s leak repair save?
Water Plus said locating and repairing an underground leak at a manufacturing site saved 10,000 litres an hour. It said this could save £300,000 in wholesaler water charges over 12 months.
