Geneva – In conjunction with the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) will convene the 2010 Founders Business Seminar, an officially sanctioned part of the World Water Week program.
This interactive panel discussion will focus attention on the need to bridge the communications gap between various stakeholder groups, including investors and consumers, on the issues of reporting, measurement and disclosure. The Seminar aims to facilitate an exchange of ideas and best practices around how to tackle these critical issues.
“Businesses cannot succeed without water. Starting with water use in manufacturing all throughout to supply chain, water is an essential enabler,” said Björn Stigson, President of the WBCSD. “Today many businesses may not yet see the immediate impact of water on their companies. However, with population growth resulting in more water stress, it is crucial for companies to start understanding their water situation now so that their business models don’t suffer in the future. Part of business’ future success will depend on our ability to develop appropriate systems to measure and disclose water impact and share best water management practices. Not knowing your water impact is a greater risk than knowing it.”
Included in the discussion at the Founders Business Seminar will be the launch of the updated WBCSD’s Global Water Tool. The Global Water Tool, which is in use by more than 300 corporations worldwide, calculates an organization’s water risk, consumption and efficiency and gives a detailed assessment of a company’s current overall water management.
First launched in 2007, the tool has been upgraded for the second time as more global information has become available on assessing water risks. This year’s release includes more recent data from FAO Aquastat, WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program and the International Water Management Institute.
This new data provides additional contextual information to understand an organization’s use of water in relation to physical, economic and demographic environments. Furthermore, it includes more projections of future water resource availability. As businesses explore how to better manage water impacts, the Global Water Tool will continue to be used to ensure companies have a 360-degree awareness of their waterscape and risks and, therefore, make informed decisions.
World Water Week, organized by SIWI, brings together water experts and practitioners, decision-makers, and world leaders for an annual discussion about water issues with the aim of exchanging ideas, identifying problems and finding solutions.
Source: WBCSD Press Release dated September 6, 2010.
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