In 2023, over 130 representatives, from customers, industry associations and academia, to non-governmental organisations, policy makers and peer companies – and 25 countries – came together under the theme, Water Regeneration – partnering to strengthen communities’ resilience and drive economic growth. This is a prominent ESG risk that touches every aspect of our business and is central to our sustainability strategy and Mission 2025 commitments.
The theme was covered in the context of climate resilience, economic growth and the wellbeing of people. Stakeholders proposed collaborative ideas and collective actions that could accelerate progress towards a water-resilient future, identifying levers for change; tapping into the power of partnerships and collaboration; and scaling impactful interventions collectively.
The common message was that water is a topic that requires a holistic, transboundary and multi-stakeholder approach. To address and balance complex challenges between water, agriculture, climate and biodiversity requires us to step up partner engagement at international and local levels.
Specific recommendations from stakeholders included:
- Mobilising local resources and enhancing community engagement in water solutions.
- Catalysing and strengthening communities of practice to facilitate knowledge-sharing across sectors.
- Fostering a cooperative approach to address the transboundary challenges of water.
- Scaling up action to address the nexus of water–climate challenges.
- Unlocking innovative technologies to mitigate water risks.
- Leveraging partnerships across markets to raise awareness and amplify achievements in water stewardship.
These recommendations have been reviewed by the Social Responsibility Committee and we look forward to accelerating our impact by investing further to address water stress, protect local water resources and build community climate resilience and economic empowerment.
