NEW YORK - The Chairman and CEO of the Talal Abu-Ghazaleh Organization (TAG-Org), Mr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh, along with the leaders of thirty global companies, have endorsed the CEO Water Mandate partnership initiative.
The CEO Water Mandate is an initiative by business leaders in partnership with the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and implemented by the UN Global Compact.
The initiative was adopted at the UN Private Sector Forum on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Food Sustainability held at the UN headquarters September 24, 2008, involves creating a joint venture among major corporations for water sustainability, treatment and desalination along with the administration and policies related to water sector in various fields.
The Mandate will be managed by the Global Compact which is chaired by the UN Secretary General, and vice-chaired by Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh.
The MDGs and Food Sustainability Forum had concluded its activities by presenting recommendations to governmental and state leaders gathering at the UN’s annual General Assembly in New York during September 23 – October 1, 2008. The recommendations were related to the following fields:
- Direct Operations. Examples of action areas: water-use assessments; targets for conservation and waste-water treatment.
- Supply Chain and Watershed Management. Examples of action areas: encourage suppliers to improve water conservation and waste-water treatment; analyze and respond to watershed risk.
- Collective Action. Examples of action areas: build closer ties with civil society; be involved in the UN Global Compact’s Country Networks.
- Public Policy. Examples of action areas: Contribute recommendations in formulation of government regulation; support policy-oriented bodies and frameworks.
- Community Engagement. Examples of action areas: be active members of the local community on water and sanitation challenges; undertake water-resource education and awareness campaigns.
- Transparency. Endorsers are required to disclose on annual basis their past and planned implementation of the CEO Water Mandate, in line with the UN Global Compact’s Communication on Progress Policy.