Pretoria - A total 45 Chief Executive Officers, including Eskom's Brian Dames, have committed to advance corporate water management practices.
On Monday, the group, which includes representatives of a diverse range of global companies and regions, called on governments attending the Rio+20 Earth Summit to make global water security a top priority.
With the special communique, carrying their names, the CEOs highlighted the urgency of the global water crisis, while also urging governments to step up efforts and to work more actively with the private sector, civil society and other stakeholders.
Public policy actions that governments should undertake to make meaningful progress on water and to better leverage the resources and capabilities of the international business community include developing policies and incentives to improve water productivity and efficiency in all sectors especially agriculture.
Governments, said the CEOs, should also establish a fair and appropriate valuation of water for agriculture, industry and people while at the same time ensuring water and sanitation access in accordance with the UN human right to safe water and sanitation.
In the communique, the endorsing companies committed to expanding their water management practices, which include actions such as setting targets on water efficiency and waste-water management in factories and operations; working with suppliers to improve their water practices; and partnering with non-governmental organizations, UN agencies, governments and public authorities, investors, and other stakeholders on water related projects and solutions.
Last February, Eskom became a signatory to the UN Global Compact's CEO Water Mandate. The UN CEO Water Mandate is a non-binding, voluntary and public private initiative developed to inspire business to positively contribute to sustainable water resource management.
All the 45 CEOs are endorsers of the mandate.
The Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development kicks off on Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and concludes on Friday. President Jacob Zuma will be in attendance.
The conference will focus on seven critical issues centred on sustainable development.
