Source: The CEO Water Mandate’s Water Action Hub

In January 2014, the administration of Governor Brown released the California Water Action Plan – a roadmap for the first five years of the state’s journey toward sustainable water management. The plan identifies how state agencies, municipalities, and their partners can work together to create a more reliable water supply for farms and communities, restore important wildlife habitat and species, and help California’s water systems and environment become more resilient.

There is a strong opportunity for California's business community to contribute to the Action Plan, improving the measurement, management, and stewardship of shared natural resources in a manner that also supports sustainable economic growth. Toward this end, the CEO Water Mandate – a corporate water stewardship initiative administered jointly by the UN Global Compact and the Pacific Institute – facilitated a statewide collaboration with CWAC members and other partners to identify specific opportunities where the private sector can help accelerate progress toward the Plan's vision.

In the first phase of this project, participants worked to identify relevant stakeholders, examples of successful collaborative water projects across the State, and gaps in the Action Plan's implementation that the business community can help fill. Participating organizations are now working to jointly develop, commit to, and implement new water stewardship initiatives aligned with Action Plan goals and needs.

Project lead: Pacific Institute | CEO Water Mandate

Participating CWAC members: Nestlé North America | Ag Innovations | Olam | WWF

Additional partners: Ericsson | Veolia North America*

To learn more: Visit https://wateractionhub.org/californiawaterstewardship/, or contact Jason Morrison, President, Pacific Institute - jmorrison@pacinst.org