Valuing Water Finance Initiative Signatories

Ceres (

Non-governmental organization (NGO)

)

#SDGAction50374

Description

The Valuing Water Finance Initiative (VWFI) is a global investor-led effort, facilitated by the NGO Ceres, to engage companies with a significant water footprint to value and act on water as a financial risk and drive the necessary large-scale change to better protect water systems. Investor signatories to the VWFI recognize that companies have the potential to better steward and protect freshwater resources within their business operations and global supply chains to drive meaningful, global change. The initiative includes 85 investor signatories representing approximately $14 trillion in assets under management. The initiative is informed by a set of clear action steps called the Corporate Expectations for Valuing Water. This set of six, science-based, actionable expectations provide investors with the framework to inform their engagements to move companies to strategically address water risk, aligning with the United Nation’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goal for Water (SDG6).

To inform investor engagements and to ensure that companies advance toward ambitious water stewardship actions, Ceres will assess and track progress on the water risk management practices of companies that align with the Corporate Expectations. Specifically, the assessment will inform investor dialogues with companies and the overall progress of VWFI by:
-- Assessing alignment and gaps: Provide an assessment of the current alignment of companies to the ambitions in the Corporate Expectations.
-- Informing investor engagement topics: Provide insights into where corporate action is lacking or where new, innovative ambition should be explored.
-- Elevate best practices: Highlight best practices in water stewardship across and within sectors which can help illuminate opportunities for companies to elevate their ambitions to reduce their water risk.
-- Tracking company progress: Serve as a tool for tracking company progress on the Corporate Expectations over time. Trends gathered will reinforce and clarify how company actions evolve to meet the Corporate Expectations.

The VWFI is facilitated by Ceres as the Secretariat and guided by a group of 12 investors representing 7 countries (The Valuing Water Finance Task Force). VWFI was launched in partnership with the Government of the Netherlands.

Expected Impact

The overarching goal of the Valuing Water Finance Initiative is that companies recognize freshwater as the world’s most precious natural resource, essential to whole industries and all communities and ecosystems. As a result of the investor-led Valuing Water Finance Initiative engagements with companies, investors anticipate companies will advance their water stewardship actions in order to reduce their water risk. Specifically, the investor signatories to the Valuing Water Finance Initiative will work with companies towards tangible improvements in corporate water stewardship through the following Corporate Expectations framework :
-- Water Quantity: Companies do not negatively impact water availability in water-scarce areas across their value chain.
-- Water Quality: Companies do not negatively impact water quality across their value chain.
-- Ecosystem Protection: Companies do not contribute to the conversion of natural ecosystems critical to freshwater supplies and aquatic biodiversity and actively work to restore degraded habitats that their businesses depend upon.
-- Access to Water and Sanitation: Companies contribute to the social, economic and ecological resilience of communities they interact with by contributing to achieving universal and equitable access to WASH across their value chain.
-- Board Oversight: Corporate boards and senior management oversee water management efforts.
-- Public Policy Engagement: Companies ensure that all public policy engagement and lobbying activities are aligned with sustainable water resource management outcomes.

Partners

ASR Asset Management, Aberdeen Standard Investments, Achmea Investment Management, ACTIAM, Adrian Dominican Sisters, AJF Capital Management, Amundi Asset Management, As You Sow, AustralianSuper Pty Ltd, Aviva Investors, Bailard, La Banke Postale Asset Management, BMO Global Asset Management, Bon Secours Mercy Health, Boston Common Asset Management, Breckinridge Capital Advisors, CalPERs, California State Controller's Office, CalSTRs, Cathay Financial Holdings, Cathay Life, Cetera, Change Finance, Christian Brothers Investment Services, ClearBridge Investments, CommonSpirit Health, Congregation of St. Joseph, Dana Investment Advisors, Daughters of Charity - Province of St. Louise, DNB Asset Management, The Episcopal Church (DFMS), Dominican Sisters - Grand Rapids, Downing LLP, DWS Group, East Bay Municipal Utility District, Environment Agency Pension Fund, Ethical Partners Funds Management, Ethos Engagement Pool International, Ethos Foundation, Federated Hermes. Fidelity International, Franklin Templeton, Government Employees Pension Fund, Illinois State Treasurer, Impax Asset Management PLC, Insight Investment, JLens Investor Network, KBI Global Investors, Local Authority Pension Fund Forum, Lombard Odier Investment Managers, Man Group, Manulife Investment Management, Maryknoll Sisters, Mercy Investment Services, NEI Investments, NYC Office of the Comptroller, NN Group, Northern LGPS, Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investment, OPTrust, PGGM, Pictet Group, Raiffeisen Schweiz, Resona Asset Management Co., Ltd., Riverwater Partners, Rockefeller Capital Management, SCOR SE, SEB Investment Management, Seventh Generation Interfaith, Inc., Sisters of Mary Reparatrix, Sisters of St. Francis of Dubuque – Iowa, Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia, Socially Responsible Investment Coalition, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management, Sustainable Advisors Alliance, Sustainable Insight Capital Management, Swedbank Robur, Terra Alpha Investments, Thomas Schumann Capital LLC, Trillium Asset Management, UOB Asset Management, Vancity Investment Management, Veritas Investment Partners, Vermont Pension Investment Committee, Water Asset Management

Additional information

Corporate Expectations for Valuing Water: https://www.ceres.org/sites/default/files/Ceres%20Corporate%20Expectati…

Signatory Statement: https://ceres.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#A0000000ZqYY/a/5c0000005yQ3/tclu…

SDGS & Targets

Goal 6

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all

6.1

By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all

6.1.1

Proportion of population using safely managed drinking water services

6.2

By 2030, achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations

6.2.1

Proportion of population using (a) safely managed sanitation services and (b) a hand-washing facility with soap and water

6.3

By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally

6.3.1

Proportion of domestic and industrial wastewater flows safely treated

6.3.2

Proportion of bodies of water with good ambient water quality

6.4

By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity

6.4.1

Change in water-use efficiency over time

6.4.2

Level of water stress: freshwater withdrawal as a proportion of available freshwater resources

6.5

By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels, including through transboundary cooperation as appropriate

6.5.1

Degree of integrated water resources management

6.5.2

Proportion of transboundary basin area with an operational arrangement for water cooperation

6.6

By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes

6.6.1

Change in the extent of water-related ecosystems over time

6.a

By 2030, expand international cooperation and capacity-building support to developing countries in water- and sanitation-related activities and programmes, including water harvesting, desalination, water efficiency, wastewater treatment, recycling and reuse technologies

6.a.1

Amount of water- and sanitation-related official development assistance that is part of a government-coordinated spending plan

6.b

Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management

6.b.1

Proportion of local administrative units with established and operational policies and procedures for participation of local communities in water and sanitation management

SDG 14 targets covered

Name	Description

Deliverables & Timeline

31 December, 2024

Each investor signatory will engage at least 1 company with a significant global water footprint through dialogues and additional shareholder actions as needed in order to advance the Corporate Expectations for Valuing Water.

31 December, 2023

Ceres will conduct and publish an assessment of company progress relative to the Corporate Expectations for Valuing Water for the 72 companies on the focus list.

Resources mobilized

Staff / Technical expertise

Ceres Water Team Staff

Partnership Progress