We would like to share the document “Exploring the Case of Water Objectives Based on the Corporate Context” by CDP, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), World Resources Institute (WRI), WWF and CEO Water Mandate And the United Nations Global Compact) calling for a context-based approach to establishing water indicators and target.

Context-based metrics and targets recognize physical and social thresholds and track water use in relation to thresholds and basin availability. This understanding is important for establishing sustainable objectives that protect water resources, while providing economic value.

The content within reflects input collected during the CEO Water Mandate’s 16th MultiStakeholder Working Conference at Stockholm World Water Week in September 2016, and other engagements with companies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) interested in this topic. Although the topic has relevance to all sectors, this discussion paper is primarily intended for companies.

This paper makes the case for the need to develop guidance that assists companies in employing context-based water metrics and setting meaningful water targets that:

• Support companies’ water risk mitigation efforts;
• Are informed by and aligned with basin conditions; and
• Advance water sustainability to the benefit of all users in the basin.

The resulting approach could potentially employ the targets underpinning SDG6 as a foundational framework because of its widespread adoption across countries and prioritization of the most critical threats to water security.

You can download the publication in this link.