On Friday, Feb. 19th BCLC launched its 2010 Global Corporate Citizenship Issue Series (pdf) with a forum dedicated to water and sanitation challenges (audio recording and photos available online).

Water scarcity, lack of clean water, and sanitation problems plague communities all over world, even in the United States.

Take a look at these statistics (source: ONE Campaign):

• 2.5 billion people do not have access to adequate sanitation; 884 million people do not have access to clean water.
• Every $1 spent on water and sanitation generates $8 worth of saved time, increased productivity and reduced health care costs.
• 4,100 children die each day from severe diarrhea, which is spread through poor sanitation and hygiene.
  

  Amb. Hattie Babbitt

Forum keynote speaker Ambassador Hattie Babbitt (pictured) emphasized that long-term partnership solutions are critical to the water challenges we face today.  She also discussed how water plays such a vital role in addressing food security, economic development, and health (topics the GCC series will cover later in 2010).  

Featured during the forum were global water partnerships between Dow Chemical and Global Water Challenge;  ITT Corporation and Mercy Corps; and Diageo and CHF International. 

The following suggestions for how to create and implement water programs resulted from panelists and audience members sharing their experiences and practices:

• Programs should be demand driven and meet the local needs
• Programs should cater to the local culture, especially as it pertains to girls and women.
• Programs should create an enabling environment for local  residents
• Scalability is essential to program design
• Partnership programs should have a systems approach

It’s important to recognize that many people simply don’t know about the challenges faced in the water sector, so raising awareness is just as critical.  Two campaigns aimed at raising awareness are the DOW Live Earth Run on April 18 and World Water Day March 22.

Related Links: Dow Chemical and Global Water Challenge  and ITT Corporation and Mercy Corps