CEO Water Mandate Issues Conference Report

( New York, 24 September 2009 ) -- The UN Global Compact's CEO Water Mandate, in partnership with the Pacific Institute, today released the summary report of the initiative's fourth working conference, which took place in Stockholm on 16-18 August -- an event that drew nearly 100 water experts and practitioners from business, civil society, the public sector and other interests.

The conference featured a general public-information briefing of the CEO Water Mandate, followed by two multi-stakeholder working sessions focusing on three themes: responsible corporate engagement in public policy; water and human rights; and water disclosure. The conference also included an endorsers meeting to discuss current workstreams and administrative and financial issues relating to the initiative, in addition to a briefing on a joint UNEP-Mandate water accounting project.

"This conference featured extremely active discussions between business, civil society and other stakeholders on a number of crucial water-related issues", said Gavin Power, Deputy Director of the UN Global Compact. "The issues addressed -- including public policy and human rights -- are highly complex and also quite sensitive. The Mandate will continue its tradition of involving the widest possible array of stakeholders as it seeks to make positive business and societal contributions in these areas".

In addition to establishing a working group focused on a rights-based approach to water stewardship, the Mandate is in the process of developing a "Guide on Business Engagement with Water Policy and Management".

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Review Content from Fourth Working Conference of the CEO Water Mandate

Media Contact

Gavin Power
Deputy Director
UN Global Compact
powerg@un.org

Jason Morrison
Program Director
Pacific Institute
jmorrison@pacinst.org