Business Stream: Water Stewardship & Emissions Reduction

Business Stream is a water retail business that operates across Scotland and England, serving more than 300,000 customers.

Since 2020, it has saved more than 5.9 billion litres of water for its clients, thanks to its solutions and services for businesses.

It promotes water efficiency, helping companies reduce their carbon footprint and lessen the strain on local ecosystems.

Positive environmental impact

In 2019, Business Stream launched its vision – Making a Positive Difference – which aims to have positive benefits for its customers, employees, the environment and local communities.

Through this vision, it has launched a range of initiatives to help meet its sustainability goals.

Business Stream has set a target to achieve net zero for its operations by 2030, which is 15 years ahead of the Scottish Government target and 20 years ahead of the UK Government target.

To help its customers meet their sustainability goals, it provides a benchmarking tool for companies to compare their water usage to similar businesses in order to identify areas for improvement.

It encourages businesses to track their water usage over time to spot trends and quickly respond to changes, to help increase their water efficiency and have a better impact on the environment.

Tom Abel, Director of Sustainability Services at Business Stream, said at Sustainability LIVE 2025: “In the context of the climate crisis we’re facing, we simply don’t have a choice. We know that we all have a responsibility to reduce our impact on the environment and by transitioning to a net zero economy, we can reverse some of the damage being caused by climate change.

“Beyond the clear environmental benefits to be gained, a strategic approach to effective water management is also helping to protect supplies and support businesses’ operational risk management plans as we face into the reality that water resources are becoming more limited.”

Tom will be speaking at Sustainability LIVE: The Net Zero Summit on 4 March 2026. 

Secure your tickets now.

Who is Tom Abel?

Tom was appointed as a Director in May 2023, following six successful years in a senior commercial role at Business Stream.

In his role, he is responsible for delivering Business Stream’s retention and growth strategy, including a strong focus on developing ESG-led customer propositions and growing its sustainable solutions function.

He works closely with the solutions arm of the business, which is geared to delivering value-added services to customers to help drive their water efficiency and deliver financial and environmental savings.

Tom is also responsible for the development and delivery of Business Stream’s ESG strategy, ensuring that the company and its customers can reach their sustainability goals.

Tom has more than 20 years of experience working in a range of management and consultancy roles.

This includes three years as Commercial Director for data centre services company Pulsant, working on the sales and operational sides of the business.

Secure your ticket now to hear from Tom at Sustainability LIVE: The Net Zero Summit.

Water positivity at The Net Zero Summit

Tom will be joining the Water Positivity Summit at Sustainability LIVE: The Net Zero Summit in London.

This panel focuses on moving beyond water conservation and toward water positivity.

Experts will discuss how leading organisations are improving water stewardship through innovation in treatment, sourcing and reuse.

Tom and the other panellists will share information about measurement frameworks and collaborative approaches that support long-term water security.

Tom writes on LinkedIn: “I’ll be speaking at Sustainability Magazine’s Sustainability LIVE: The Net Zero Summit conference – and I’m looking forward to sharing insights and exploring practical solutions with fellow sustainability leaders.

“I’ll be part of The Water Positivity Panel, where we’ll be discussing the importance of water efficiency in supporting companies’ wider sustainability goals.”

Join us at The Net Zero Summit to hear from leading sustainability experts on 4-5 March 2026.

Attendees will gain practical insights, case studies and cross-industry collaboration opportunities.

Secure your tickets now.