Tackling Clean Water Scarcity: Indian Companies Embrace CSR Initiatives in Support of SDG 6

Clean water scarcity is a pressing issue that affects millions of people worldwide. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, “Clean Water and Sanitation”, aims to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all by 2030. . To support this goal, many Indian companies have embraced Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives focusing on clean water and sanitation.

The need for such initiatives becomes even more crucial because India is facing a severe clean water crisis. Approximately 2 billion people are lacking safe drinking water and 3.6 billion without improved sanitation facilities. This scarcity is further exacerbated by rapid urbanization, population growth, pollution, and climate change. The lack of clean water and sanitation significantly affects public health, education, and economic development, making it a critical issue for the country.

The Benefits of Achieving SDG 6

• Improved health
• Improved environmental protection
• Better management of food and energy production
• Preserve water ecosystems and biodiversity

The Role of Governments in Achieving SDG 6

The role of governments in achieving SDG 6 is to ensure access to safe and affordable drinking water, improved water quality, and access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all.

The key elements of this include:

• Ensuring universal access to safe drinking water for all by 2030 through improving infrastructure, expanding service coverage and strengthening institutional capacity;
• Preventing pollution of surface waters from agricultural runoff or other sources;
• Preventing contamination of groundwater resources through better management practices such as land use planning that minimizes contamination risk;
• Ensuring that wastewater treatment plants are properly operated so they do not pollute rivers or lakes.

The Role of CSR in Supporting SDG 6

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to the voluntary actions taken by companies to address the social, economic, and environmental impacts of their operations. In India, the Companies Act of 2013 made it mandatory for certain companies to allocate a portion of their profits towards CSR activities. This encourages them to engage in initiatives that contribute to the country’s sustainable development goals. SDG 6, which focuses on clean water and sanitation, has become an important area for CSR initiatives by Indian companies. As they recognize the potential positive impact on communities, public health, and the environment.

Notable CSR Initiatives by Indian Companies

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 2.2 billion people still lack access to safely managed drinking water services and 4.2 billion people lack access to sanitation services. To combat such a dire situation, several Indian companies have undertaken CSR initiatives to address clean water scarcity and support SDG 6. Some notable examples include:

• Tata Chemicals undertook several initiatives to conserve water, including rainwater harvesting, community-level water conservation projects, and promoting efficient water use in agriculture.
• Mahindra & Mahindra launched several projects to conserve water, such as promoting drip irrigation, implementing rainwater harvesting, and providing water-efficient technologies to farmers.
• Hindustan Unilever Limited implemented water conservation projects in 53 districts with over 4,300 villages, including rainwater harvesting, wastewater treatment, and reusing treated wastewater.

While such initiatives are bringing about a positive change for the water scenario worldwide. There is still a long road ahead that we must pave to achieve SDG 6 so our future generations are not deprived of these essential resources/. Therefore, stakeholders must work together to ensure access to clean water and sanitation for all.

Article Credits: Cross Barriers