rWater stewardship Initiatives (WSI) involving the public, private sector and civil society are increasingly being started to address shared challenges in managing water resources.
We believe integrity is a crucial building block to enable equitable and sustainable outcomes from these Water Stewardship Initiatives.
To further develop integrity and transparency in WSIs, we therefore partnered with the UN Global Compact CEO Water Mandate and withDeutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), Water Witness International, Pegasys Institute, and Partnerships in Practice, Ltd, to carry out an applied research project aimed at developing an integrity management framework and practical supporting guidance for WSIs.
By integrity in WSIs, we mean:
- Trustworthy and accountable partners
- Inclusive, transparent, and responsive processes that lead to informed and balanced decision-making
- Clear objectives and demonstrable outcomes that advance sustainable water management
During a session of the UK Water Forum in May, WIN Tools Programme Coordinator, Janek Hermann-Friede, presented these definitions and shared some first notes on the development of the integrity management framework for WSIs, based on findings from field assessments Peru, Tanzania and South Africa (Janek’s presentation starting at minute 33).
This video of the ODI UK Water Forum session on Strengthening the contribution of the private sector to water equity: disclosure, standards and integrity includes his intervention and more from fellow panellists.