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close up shot from above of women and children in colorful cloths filling jugs with water from a hose. Hossain_Ismail_Dhaka Bangladesh WIN photo competition

Acting for integrity

Integrity failures and corruption in the water and sanitation sectors are not inevitable: they are symptoms of weak systems and they are often preventable with the right tools and resources.

An investment in integrity is an investment for sustainability. There are many ways to act for integrity – in individual projects, within water and sanitation institutions, and across the water and sanitation sectors.

We work with partners to motivate collective action at different levels. This can mean working with local integrity champions to monitor project implementation, managing integrity with service providers, or supporting regulators to promote integrity for the sector.

Principles for integrity

To build integrity, start with the building blocks: promoting Transparency, Accountability, Participation, and Anti-corruption (TAPA). There are then many ways to act for integrity, in individual projects, within water and sanitation institutions, and across the sector.

WIN line graphic with 4 letters TAPA linked with lines to a drop of water labeled 'integrity'

Tools and support for integrity management

Integrity management is the process of assessing risks regularly, then creating a practical action plan to address them. Our open integrity tools can facilitate this process.

We work especially closely with service providers from major cities to remote communities, that use integrity management tools to increase user trust, develop better customer relations, and ensure financial stability.

We also provide facilitator training and support for integrity processes at all levels.

Tools for water and sanitation utilities

Utilities face major challenges to deliver on their mandate and provide essential service in the face of climate change and urban transformation.

 

The best leaders will make sure integrity issues don’t hold them back.


Integrity management tools can help utilities:

 

  • Develop staff understanding of the integrity risks that can jeopardise performance, creditworthiness, and reputation.

  • Develop practical plans for improvement on key issues related to human resources, accounting, contract management, or customer relations.

Get support for integrity management work:

Get started with self-assessment! Where does your utility stand across the 5 integrity principles of corporate governance?

Integrity Management Tool

InWASH

The complete integrity management toolbox for water utility performance, with resources to assess risks and plan practical integrity work.

Resources for a coached integrity management process with assessment indicators

Developed with support from the IDB, GIZ, cewas, and SIWI

In use since 2014, in over 20 utilities worldwide

Case studies:

Through an integrity management process, utilities in Albania and Bangladesh have worked to address staff motivation issues, implementing more effective monitoring and increasing field inspections.

 

By doing so, both utilities were able to better control illegal connections and reduce non-revenue water (NRW).

image by cewas of a hand holding a workshop card which says capacity building

Tools for small and
community-managed water systems

Small water supply management committees face steep challenges to ensure water is available for their community. With limited means, often limited support from authorities, unclear regulatory frameworks, systems not always built to last will fail prematurely or be difficult to keep up. One-time technical trainings are not the solution.


An integrity lens makes it possible to:

 

  • Focus on root causes of poor system performance and premature failure

  • Find systematic solutions in a participatory manner

Get support for integrity management work:

Resources for a coached integrity management process

Developed with Caritas Switzerland with input and support from KEWASNET, KWAHO, NIA, Controla Tu Gobierno, and Cantaro Azul

Used in 100 communities in Kenya, Mexico, Ethiopia, and South Sudan

Case study:
Mexico

In Mexico, rural communities located in the centre and south of the country which have implemented the IMT-SWSS, put in place a numbers of measures to engage with users, for example: complaint mechanisms for users, regular meetings with families and community audits, or agreements on a transparent fee or rate structure.

The measures are changing the reputation and support for the water committee and are the foundation for better service.

image of a workshop, showing the backs of 3 people looking a board with green cards

Tools for regulators

Regulatory agencies have a crucial role in promoting and safeguarding integrity in water and sanitation. They can incentivise equitable and professional service and hold water and sanitation stakeholders accountable, against clear standards.

 

Regulators must also be protected from corruption, capture and undue interference.


Integrity management tools can help regulators to:

 

  • Develop an understanding and address internal integrity risks that would compromise their position

  • Develop frameworks for accountability of water service providers under their purview, for example reporting standards on integrity, procurement, or disclosure.

Get support for your integrity management plans:

Resources for a coached integrity management process

Developed by the Consortium for Water Integrity in Latin America (WIN, cewas, SIWI) with support from IDB.

Piloted in Latin America