Water and Sanitation

For billions of people, water and sanitation are the most pressing and immediate vital challenges. Today, above one billion people have no access to clean water, more than 2 billion lack proper sanitation. The United Nations has set, as a millennium goal, the objective to halve the proportion of people with no access to fresh water and sanitation by 2015.

Striving for sustainable water access and use

The causes and consequences of the water crisis are diverse. As are the approaches to solve water challenges at local levels. Whilst developing countries are struggling to improve access to drinking water and sanitation, developed countries must lead in sustainable water management solutions to better use and preserve available resources. Unlike energy, there is no alternative to water. And the contribution of all, business included, is needed to address the challenge.

Water for the World  

Since 2007 Borealis has been focusing all its corporate citizenship efforts to address the water challenge. Together with Borouge, Borealis has initiated Water for the World™, a partnerships programme to advance solutions, expertise and know-how. The programme spans a full range of activities at global and regional levels, in science, industry or for local communities.

At a global level, the programme co-funds the annual Stockholm World Water Prize and supports the non-profit organisation "Water and Sanitation for the Urban Poor" to develop large scale projects in urban slums. Within the industry, Borealis has pioneered the measurement and analysis of plastics water footprint, a key indicator with carbon and energy performance to drive sustainable production and products. At a regional level, our membership to the "Business Friends for the Danube" commits ourselves to demonstrate environmental leadership and initiate joint activities for protecting water resources and improving wastewater treatment in the Danube region.

Find out more about on www.waterfortheworld.net .

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