Guide on Business Engagement with Water‐Related Public Policy
Annotated Outline
DRAFT July 7, 2009

Introduction

The preface of the Guide will include a summary of current societal and water resource trends affecting business operations. It will define the origins, scope, and objectives of the Guide,  and will provide background on the Mandate and its activities, particularly with respect to its work‐stream on public policy.

• Preliminary Working Objective of the Guide: To provide principles, concepts, practical steps, and case examples that can facilitate companies’ responsible engagement with water policy in a manner that reduces business risks while simultaneously advancing policy goals and positively impacting nearby communities and ecosystems.

Acknowledging and exploring some fundamental concerns among some stakeholders with corporate involvement with water policy decisions, the introduction will make a general argument for why corporate policy engagement can be a valuable undertaking. In doing so,this section will feature examples of water‐related business risks and briefly demonstrate how policy engagement can add value to business by mitigating those risks, while benefiting communities and ecosystems. It will also explain how the engagement framework, principles, and good practices/approaches highlighted in the Guide will steer companies toward policy engagement strategies and practices that are integrated, inclusive, and equitable. […]