Rebuilding Through Collective Action on Water and Hygiene: Practical Guidance from WASH Experts and Business Leaders (October 2020)

Context:

To combat the spread of COVID-19 and rebuild our economies during and after the pandemic, collective action on water and hygiene is essential. On the back of Global Handwashing Day, WASH4Work, CEO Water Mandate’s Water Resilience Coalition and WaterAid united to bring together business leaders and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) experts.

Such action can not only help to contain the virus, but also to realize the human right to water and sanitation and accelerate the “blue” economy, whereby economic well-being and water resilience mutually reinforce one another.

Handwashing is one of the most effective ways to slow down the transmission of COVID-19, but practicing this life-saving behaviour can be a daily challenge when access to water is compromised and soap is not available. Three billion people around the world still do not have access to even basic hand washing facilities at home. This puts societies and economies at risk and weakens supply chain continuity by threatening the health of the workers. Access to WASH needs to be urgently propelled to the top of the corporate agenda amid the global response to COVID-19.

The business community can play a key role in combatting the spread of COVID-19, as well as rebuilding the economy, securing operational continuity and reducing the risk of future shocks. The response to today’s global health crisis must also address the effects of the climate emergency, and prepare us for the crises of tomorrow, with sustainable WASH services that are fit for the future.

During this virtual session leading businesses and WASH experts shared how companies can take action on WASH to contain the pandemic within their operations, supply chains and surrounding communities. The session provides practical guidance and inspiring examples to drive ambitious, tangible, and collective corporate action which accelerates water and hygiene access for long term resilience.

The webinar featured:

  • A presentation from Dr Om Prasad Gautam (Hygiene Specialist at WaterAid) and Peter Schulte (CEO Water Mandate) who introduced the recently launched “Water and the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Business Framework for Water and COVID-19”.
  • Practical examples of WASH-related actions companies are taking in response to COVID-19, in their operations, supply chains and communities, individually and collectively (Examples of the Water Resilience Coalition and individual companies)
  • Discussions from participants on how the business community can play a key role in combatting the spread of COVID-19, as well as rebuilding the economy and reducing the risk of future shocks.

Read a blog post on the webinar from WASH4Work’s Giuliana Chaves Moreira: https://ceowatermandate.org/posts/practical-guidance-wash-experts-business-leaders/

Access the Hand Hygiene Protocol for the Workplace: https://wash4work.org/tools-resources/hand-hygiene-protocol-for-the-workplace-2020/

author avatar
CEO Water Mandate
The Mandate is a commitment platform for business leaders and learners to advance water stewardship. Endorsing companies commit to action across six key elements and report annually on progress. The Mandate Secretariat - a partnership between the UN Global Compact and Pacific Institute - supports the initiative’s mission and endorsing companies in many ways, including: (1) developing research, guidance, and tools that advance corporate water stewardship, (2) convening multi-stakeholder events to identify, explore, and solve key water challenges, and (3) facilitating meaningful collective action to improve conditions in at-risk river basins around the world.

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