Perspectives are different frameworks from which to explore the knowledge around sustainable sanitation and water management. Perspectives are like filters: they compile and structure the information that relate to a given focus theme, region or context. This allows you to quickly navigate to the content of your particular interest while promoting the holistic understanding of sustainable sanitation and water management.
This publication is aimed at creating awareness on the particular characteristics of CSR in Asia and points towards the challenges that businesses will have to deal with when operating in the region. As with other regions, CSR in Asia must address Asian challenges and the priorities of Asian stakeholders.
CSR ASIA (2009): CSR in Asia: the Real Picture. Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA) URL [Accessed: 29.04.2019]The International Institute for Sustainable Development’s Global Subsidies Initiative (GSI) is a project designed to put the spotlight on subsidies and the corrosive effects they can have on environmental quality, economic development and governance.
Since the 1980s, the Swiss federal government has actively pursued a policy to reduce the emission of pollutants from heating systems. The program bases upon three measures, which are regulatory in nature: emission thresholds, systems inspections with permits and heating controls.
KAUFMANN-HAYOZ, R. BAETTIG, C. BRUPPACHER, S. DEFILA, R. DI GIULIO, A. FLURY-KLEUBER, P. FRIEDERICH, U. GARBELY, M. JAEGGI, C. JEGEN, M. MOSLER, H.J. MUELLER, A. NORTH, N. ULLI-BEER, S. WICHTERMANN, J. (2001): A Typology of Tools for Building Sustainability Strategies. In: KAUFMANN-HAYOZ, R. ; GUTSCHER, H. (2001): Changing Things – Moving People. Strategies for Promoting Sustainable Development at the Local Level. Basel: 33-108. URL [Accessed: 29.04.2019]Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) official link from the European Union (EU) for sustainable and responsible business. This website contains the main EU statements towards CSR.
Short case study about how direct subsidies are an increasingly popular means of making infrastructure services more affordable to the poor in Chile. Under the direct subsidy approach, governments pay part of the water bill of poor households that meet certain eligibility criteria.
FOSTER, V. GOMEZ-LOBO, A. HALPERN, J. (2000): Designing Direct Subsidies for the Poor — A Water and Sanitation Case Study. Washington DC: The World Bank URL [Accessed: 29.04.2019]
The company’s biannual report on their CSR activities is a fine example on how much companies are willing to invest into CSR and how it is used to work on the image of the company.
THE COCA-COLA COMPANY (2009): Live Positively. Our commitment to making a positive difference in the world. (= 2008/2009 Sustainability Review ). THE COCA-COLA COMPANY URL [Accessed: 29.04.2019]
The main question that this paper tries to answer is “How should water be priced by a state water company in poor developing country?” This is a critical paper where the economic arguments for and against subsidised water are critically developed.
MENG, J. (2008): Water Subsidy Design: Implications and Consequences. URL [Accessed: 29.04.2019]
This note discusses the type of information required to design adequate subsidies, where it can be found, and ways to deal with lack of available data to design subsidies.
GOMEZ-LOBO, A. FOSTER, V. HALPERN, J. (2000): Infrastructure Reform, Better Subsidies, and the Information Deficit. Washington DC: The World Bank URL [Accessed: 29.04.2019]
This presentation describes the main dimensions of CSR as well as disadvantages and advantages.
HEIMANN, G (2008): Corporate Social Responsibility Global Standards & Policies in Practice. The Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry URL [Accessed: 29.04.2019]
This is a paper which shows how to guarantee adequate and affordable water and sanitation services for vulnerable households. In the example of Chile, where the public authorities determine how the subsidy is applied, but mostly private companies deliver the service — under a scheme with built-in incentives to ensure cost-effective service delivery by the companies and low wastage by the customers.
GOMEZ-LOBO, A. (2001): Infrastructure Incentive-Based Subsidies. Designing Output-Based Subsidies for Water Consumption. Washington DC: The World Bank URL [Accessed: 29.04.2019]
Unilever Indonesia has a factory in East Java, 5km from the Brantas river. The river becomes heavily polluted from local industries as it passes through Surabaya. In 2001, Unilever 'adopted' four riverside villages and with local actors improved basic communal sanitation, created a household waste management process and introduced a 'greening' programme.
CSR Europe (2001): Cleaning up the Brantas River, Indonesia. Brussels: CSR Europe URL [Accessed: 29.04.2019]
Over 100 years of industrial activity has gravely polluted the soil around several Umicore sites. Today, Umicore wants to end the practice of passing on this inheritance of previous generations to the next and undertakes a large-scale sanitation project of the soil and groundwater on and around its four sites in Flanders.
CSR Europe (2004): Covenant on Soil and Groundwater Sanitation. Government and Corporation Cooperating for a Healthier Environment. Brussels: CRS Europe URL [Accessed: 29.04.2019]A site containing more than 150 curricula to educate young people about water issues (English) - ranging from acid rain to wise water use.
This factsheet book is a compilation of 13 thematic factsheets which were produced by the eleven SuSanA working groups (WGs): WG1 - Capacity development; WG 2 - Finance and economics; WG 3 - Renewable energies and climate change; WG 4 - Sanitation systems, technology options, hygiene and health; WG 5 - Food security and productive sanitation systems; WG 6 - Cities and planning; WG 7 - Community, rural and schools (with gender and social aspects); WG 8 - Emergency and reconstruction situations; WG 9 - Sanitation as a business and public awareness; WG 10 - Operation and maintenance; WG 11 - Groundwater Protection. What makes these factsheets special is that they are multi-authored by people from different organisations and by free-lance consultants. The factsheets were developed in a long process involving many discussions and review loops which were mostly carried out in public, e.g. at working group meetings, with the working group mailing lists or, since July 2011, also in the open SuSanA discussion forum.
MUENCH, E. von ; INGLE, R. ; MBALO, D ; KAPPAUF, L. (2012): Compilation of 13 Factsheets on Key Sustainable Sanitation Topics. Eschborn: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH URL [Accessed: 26.04.2019]WaterNet is a regional network of university departments and research and training institutes specialising in water. The network offers training, education, research and outreach by harnessing the complementary strengths of member institutions in the region and elsewhere. You can register for a newsletter and as a member you can log in for more information and networking.
This 4-page advocacy guide has been developed to inform and support the planning and conducting of advocacy work for sanitation in a country or region. Although it focuses on sanitation, this document presents a sound general overview of the key steps and elements for planning advocacy activities.
UN-WATER (2009): Advocacy for Sanitation: A Brief Guide. New York: UN-Water URL [Accessed: 26.04.2019]The webpage of the “Global Water Partnership” is an example for a professional network. You can discuss in fora, adopt projects and get informed about water and sanitation topics from all over the world.
This thematic overview paper of the IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre gives access to the main principles of advocacy for water, environmental sanitation and hygiene, based on worldwide experiences and views of leading practitioners. Furthermore, this document provides direct links to more detailed explanations and documented experiences of critical aspects of the topic on the Internet.
JONG, D. de (2003): Advocacy for Water, Environmental Sanitation and Hygiene. Thematic Overview Paper. Delft: IRC International Water and Sanitation Centre URL [Accessed: 26.04.2019]