It’s not sufficient for firms to concentrate on their very own water operations and efficiencies. To actually strengthen water stewardship and sustainability, they need to put money into cross-sector motion in precedence river basins and worth chains.
In a world survey of greater than 350 water stakeholders, Trellis knowledge accomplice GlobeScan, at the side of the World Wildlife Fund, discovered that collective motion in river basins is the simplest and impactful method for firms to attain significant water stewardship outcomes. Respondents mentioned river basin efforts had been extra impactful than lowering water utilization in their very own operations and collaborating with friends to enhance water stewardship on the sector degree.
What this implies
The GlobeScan and WWF analysis uncovers a key hole between what firms at the moment prioritize in water stewardship and what consultants take into account handiest. Whereas many companies concentrate on their very own operations and water effectivity, essentially the most vital water impacts and dangers for a lot of industries lie of their worth chains and the broader river basins on which they rely. Specialists emphasize that firms have to shift their focus to basin- and catchment-level water points to really handle environmental challenges, mitigate enterprise dangers, and construct extra resilient provide chains.
Trying forward, meaning collaborative motion efforts in river basins should embrace all sectors and stakeholders, with elevated public-private cooperation to scale impression. Native actors corresponding to municipal and neighborhood leaders play a vital position in constructing belief, figuring out challenges, designing packages and implementing long-term options.
Based mostly on a world survey of over 350 skilled stakeholders in 63 international locations, a public opinion survey of 30,000 folks throughout 31 international locations and territories, 29 in-depth interviews with consultants throughout sectors, and analysis on NGO campaigning on water points by SIGWATCH.
