UN Global Compact | CEO Water Mandate
The California Water Resilience Initiative (CWRI) is a time-bound initiative to achieve a quantitative water target through accelerated corporate engagement in California water projects and policy. Launched in 2023, the Initiative responds to state scientists’ predictions of a looming 10% water supply gap with a target to reuse, reuse, and restore 1 million acre-feet per year by 2030. CWRI was established to address the ambitions of the CEO Water Mandate’s Water Resilience Coalition to mobilize corporate water stewardship in 100 basins globally, and was the first basin to organize.
Water is the lifeblood of California. This vital natural resource provides for the needs of more than 39 million people and the health of the state’s aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. California has the world’s fifth-largest economy and is the most economically productive state in the U.S., producing more than half of the nation’s fruits and vegetables and contributing $500 billion to the information sector in 2023.
Yet, the Golden State faces daunting water challenges. Growth, development, and climate change are increasing pressure on the state’s water resources, with impacts to water supply, demand, and quality.
Companies have a key role to play in supporting California’s transition to a water-resilient future. Through water stewardship, they can improve water management in their operations and value chains. Beyond that, many companies set goals to balance their water footprint by investing in replenishment projects in local communities and watersheds. As companies mature in their water stewardship journey, they engage in collective action, public policy, cross-sector partnerships, and innovation.
CWRI is working to accelerate corporate water stewardship in alignment with public sector ambition, policies, and governance on water, catalyzing the innovation and action that is critical to addressing basin stress, and driving much needed investment to California water.
CWRI is focused on scaling projects and supporting policies that help achieve our target of reducing, reusing, and restoring 1 million acre-feet by 2030. Companies can get involved by supporting collective action projects, joining quarterly virtual meetings, and attending the annual in-person CWRI forum. Companies interested in leading the charge can inquire about joining Ecolab and General Mills as Basin Leaders.
The California Water Resilience Initiative (CWRI) was launched in 2023 as a private sector-led initiative to accelerate collective action across sectors to achieve a water-resilient future for California. It was established to address the ambitions of the CEO Water Mandate’s Water Resilience Coalition to mobilize corporate water stewardship in 100 basins globally, and was the first basin to organize. In response to state scientists’ prediction that California will face a 10% supply gap by 2040, CWRI has set a target to reduce, reuse, and restore one million acre-feet of water per year by 2030. CWRI is managed by Pacific Institute, with Ecolab as Basin Champion, General Mills as Basin Leader, and LimnoTech as technical advisor. By creating new types of partnerships and enabling innovative solutions, CWRI aims to scale up corporate engagement in California to help close the demand gap.
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