BSR Insight | The Human Face of Water-Related Risk Assessments
At the CEO Water Mandate meeting in Copenhagen last week—which focused on corporate water disclosure—one participant reminded us of the connections between water, healthy populations, and corporate performance. Despite the growing number of tools to help investors and companies assess water-related risks, companies will miss a critical factor when evaluating their long-term risks if the tools do not link physical-, regulatory-, and reputational-risk frameworks to people’s ability to participate in the growth of healthy economies.
During a discussion on watershed management, disclosure activities, and strategic management responses to water-related risks, one attendee observed that the risk posed to companies when local communities lack access to safe drinking water and sanitation was missing from the conversation:
“We’re concerned about the economic vitality of the world’s people. Water risks posed by the world today impact this economic vitality, and this discussion isn’t taking place today.”
—CEO Water Mandate corporate attendee (May 16, 2011)
About the Author(s)
Linda Hwang, Former Manager, Research
Topics
Community Engagement & Development, Economic Development, Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, Strategy & Integration, Supply Chain, Water
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