Category Archives: Water

Land Tenure Risk: Why It Matters for Companies, Investors, and Communities

Sugar cane fieldTwo important new reports focus on land tenure conflicts between companies and communities.

In September, the Rights and Resources Initiative released a report entitled, “Global Capital, Local Concessions: A Data-Driven Examination of Land Tenure Risk and Industrial Concessions in Emerging Market Economies.” The report, drafted by the Munden Project, attempts to quantify the percentage of company land concessions that overlap community (particularly indigenous) claims,… More

Greenpeace Critiques Apparel Sector Companies for Failing to Manage Water Contamination by Suppliers

Some of the world’s most well-known apparel companies have come under criticism from Greenpeace for not sufficiently monitoring and limiting industrial wastewater discharges by suppliers.  In a new report called "Dirty Laundry", Greenpeace highlights the wastewater discharges from two major manufacturers in China that supply products to a range of major brands — including Adidas, Bauer Hockey, Calvin Klein, Converse, Lacoste, Nike, Phillips-Van Heusen and Puma.  … More

CSR and the Law: Five Big Developments in 2010

Looking back at 2010, there have been a number of significant legal developments in the field of corporate social responsibility.  New federal and state statutes have imposed due diligence requirements on companies with the specific intent of addressing human rights concerns, ranging from forced labor to the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Courts continue to grapple with the potential scope of corporate liability under the Alien Tort Statute (“ATS”). … More

Corporate Exposure to Water-Related Risks and Engagement with Key Stakeholders

CDP Water Disclosure, a program of the Carbon Disclosure Project, released its first water disclosure report (.pdf) last week.  The report summarizes the results of a survey of 302 companies from 34 countries regarding their water use and their management of water-related risks.  The findings highlight the degree to which water-related challenges are capturing the attention of a wide range of corporate stakeholders.… More

Water Access Recognized as a Fundamental Human Right

On July 28, the United Nations General Assembly passed a non-binding resolution recognizing access to clean water as a fundamental human right (.pdf).  This U.N. resolution will likely feature in corporate dialogues with stakeholders regarding water use, water access, water production, and the impact of corporate activities on local watersheds. 

Finding solutions that provide for the current and future needs of all water users is imperative. The stakes for both companies and communities are significant: a recent report by the 2030 Water Resources Group,… More