1. DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK FOR BUSINESS ACTION ON WASH
Businesses have an obligation to provide employees access to safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and to ensure their operations don’t negatively impact other people’s ability to fulfil their Human Right to Water and Sanitation.
There is also increasing evidence that those businesses that support good WASH within, and beyond, their direct operations can reap economic, social and environmental benefits in terms of increased productivity, worker retention and community relations (LANGUAGE TO BE ADAPTED ONCE BIZ CASE FINALISED).
Yet WASH is a complex area, and translating good intent into investments and commitments into lasting solutions, remains challenging.
WASH4WORK has developed a framework to help businesses to implement or improve WASH practices within their own workplaces and understand how they can also engage beyond their operations to drive collective action around WASH provision.
Rather than a prescriptive set of steps, this should be read as an illustrative framework which can be adapted to different company contexts. Companies may enter at different steps and move between the stages in various sequences.
For each step we have provided a series of considerations that will help decision- making processes and examples of available support material which can inform activities.
The aim is to provide a straight-forward guide to WASH action which will facilitate greater business engagement in this critical area.
DRAFT

2. WASH4WORK FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION
What should we do?
UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE
SHARE/LEARN/MODEL
BEST PRACTICE
DRIVE SYSTEMIC CHANGE AT DISTRICT, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL LEVEL
ASSESS & PRIORITISE AREAS FOR ACTION
DIRECT OPERATIONS
COMMUNITIES
ENGAGE WITH STAKEHOLDERS
(TO DEVELOP GOOD POLICIES, TO UNDERSTAND IMPACTS & TO RESPOND TO IMPACTS)
MAKE A COMMITMENT
FEEDBACK LOOPS FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
SUPPLY CHAIN
TAKE ACTION IN MATERIAL AREAS
(DIRECT OPERATIONS, SUPPLY CHAIN & COMMUNITIES)
TAKE COLLECTIVE ACTION AT DISTRICT LEVEL OF INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER
DRAFT

3. WASH4WORK FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION
What should we do?
What should we consider?
WHAT IS WASH?
WHY IS THIS GOOD FOR MY BUSINESS?
WHERE IS IT A MATERIAL ISSUE?
WHAT POLICY EXPECTATIONS SHOULD I BE AWARE OF?
WHAT ARE THE GAPS?
UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE
COMMIT TO PROVIDE WASH FOR EMPLOYEES
SET ROBUST POLICIES TO RESPECT HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER AND SANITATION
INTEGRATE WASH PROVISIONS WITHIN INTERNAL SYSTEMS
IDENTIFY WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERY & ACCOUNTABLE FOR PROGRESS
MAKE A COMMITMENT
UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR BUSINESS IS IMPACTING WASH FOR WORKERS & COMMUNITIES
LOOK AT DELIVERY OF SERVICES FOR DIRECT EMPLOYEES
LOOK AT ACCESS OF SERVICES FOR WORKERS IN SUPPLY CHAINS & COMMUNITIES
LOOK AT IMPACT OF YOUR BUSINESS’ WATER USE / DISCHARGE ON COMMUNITIES
PRIORITISE AREAS FOR ACTION – FOCUSING ACTION WHERE:
A) THERE IS MOST RISK TO PEOPLE AND THE BUSINESS
SEVERITY OF IMPACT
LIKELIHOOD OF AN IT HAPPENING
B) THE BUSINESS HAS INFLUENCE
ABLE TO ACT MORE QUICKLY
IN MOST MATERIAL AREAS BASED ON STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION
ASSESS & PRIORITISE AREAS FOR ACTION
DIRECT OPERATIONS
SUPPLY CHAIN
COMMUNITIES
INCLUSIVE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT INFORMS ALL ACTIONS TO ENSURE MARGINALISED STAKEHODLERS HAVE A VOICE. ENGAGEMENT HELPS BETTER UNDERSTAND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS AND HOW BEST TO ALIGN WITH GOVERNMENT AROUND DELIVERY OF LOCAL PRIORITIES. LIKELY STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDE:
INTERNAL CORPORATE
DIRECT USERS/EMPLOYEES/SUPPLIERS
COMMUNITIES
CIVIL SOCIETY
OTHER INDUSTRIAL USERS
GOVERNMENT
LABOUR ORGANISATIONS
ENGAGE WITH STAKEHOLDERS
(TO DEVELOP GOOD POLICIES, TO UNDERSTAND IMPACTS & TO RESPOND TO IMPACTS)
HARDWARE: ENSURE APPROPRIATE FACILITIES IN PLACE
DEMAND CREATION: SUPPORT BEHAVIOUR CHANGE
ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY OF INTERVENTION: OPERATION & MAINTENANCE, CAPACITY BUILDING & LOCAL OWNERSHIP
MITIGATE AND REMEDIATE NEGATIVE IMPACTS: BY IMPROVING WATER EFFICIENCY, MANAGING POLLUTANTS AND TREATING WASTEWATER.
USE LEVERAGE TO PROMOTE BETTER WASH ACROSS SUPPLY CHAIN
TAKE ACTION IN MATERIAL AREAS
(DIRECT OPERATIONS, SUPPLY CHAIN, COMMUNITIES)
SHARE REFLECTIONS ON CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES TO BUILD A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE.
FEEDBACK LOOPS FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
SHARE/LEARN/MODEL
BEST PRACTICE
USE COLLECTIVE VOICE FOR STRONGER ADVOCACY WITH GOVERNMENTS AND SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE REGULATORY REGIMES
POOL RESOURCES AND DEPLOY TO REDUCE CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF INDUSTRIAL USERS AND TO JOINTLY PROMOTE WASH IN SUPPLIERS’ OPERATIONS
TAKE COLLECTIVE ACTION AT DISTRICT LEVEL OF INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER
ENCOURAGE & CATALYSE GOVERNMENT AND PEER ACTION THROUGH ADVOCACY & CAPACITY BUILDING
DRIVE SYSTEMIC CHANGE AT DISTRICT, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL LEVEL
DRAFT

4. WASH4WORK FRAMEWORK FOR ACTION
What should we do?
What support is available?
What should we consider?
WHAT IS WASH?
WHY IS THIS GOOD FOR MY BUSINESS?
WHERE IS IT A MATERIAL ISSUE?
WHAT POLICY EXPECTATIONS SHOULD I BE AWARE OF?
WHAT ARE THE GAPS?
W4W PROBLEM STATEMENT
SDGs, ILO GUIDELINES
LOCAL OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY GUIDELINES
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
BUSINESS CASE FOR WASH (FORTHCOMING)
UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE
COMMIT TO PROVIDE WASH FOR EMPLOYEES
SET ROBUST POLICIES TO RESPECT HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER AND SANITATION
INTEGRATE WASH PROVISIONS WITHIN INTERNAL SYSTEMS
IDENTIFY WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DELIVERY & ACCOUNTABLE FOR PROGRESS
WBCSD WASH AT THE WORKPLACE PLEDGE
RESPECTING HUMAN RIGHTS TO WATER & SANITATION
REALISING THE HUMAN RIGHT TO WATER & SANITATION: A HANDBOOK
MAKE A COMMITMENT
UNDERSTAND HOW YOUR BUSINESS IS IMPACTING WASH FOR WORKERS & COMMUNITIES
LOOK AT DELIVERY OF SERVICES FOR DIRECT EMPLOYEES
LOOK AT ACCESS OF SERVICES FOR WORKERS IN SUPPLY CHAINS & COMMUNITIES
LOOK AT IMPACT OF YOUR BUSINESS’ WATER USE / DISCHARGE ON COMMUNITIES
PRIORITISE AREAS FOR ACTION – FOCUSING ACTION WHERE:
A) THERE IS MOST RISK TO PEOPLE AND THE BUSINESS
SEVERITY OF IMPACT
LIKELIHOOD OF AN IT HAPPENING
B) THE BUSINESS HAS INFLUENCE
ABLE TO ACT MORE QUICKLY
IN MOST MATERIAL AREAS BASED ON STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION
BUSINESS CASE FOR WASH (FORTHCOMING)
GUIDANCE ON THE RIGHT TO WATER
WBCSD WASH PLEDGE SELF-ASSESMENT TOOL
ASSESS & PRIORITISE AREAS FOR ACTION
DIRECT OPERATIONS
SUPPLY CHAIN
COMMUNITIES
INCLUSIVE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT INFORMS ALL ACTIONS TO ENSURE MARGINALISED HAVE A VOICE. ENGAGEMENT HELPS BETTER UNDERSTAND CUMULATIVE IMPACTS AND HOW BEST TO ALIGN WITH GOVERNMENT AROUND DELIVERY OF LOCAL PRIORITIES. LIKELY STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDE:
INTERNAL CORPORATE
DIRECT USERS/EMPLOYEES/SUPPLIERS
COMMUNITIES
CIVIL SOCIETY
OTHER INDUSTRIAL USERS
GOVERNMENT
LABOUR ORGANISATIONS
ENGAGE WITH STAKEHOLDERS
(TO DEVELOP GOOD POLICIES, TO UNDERSTAND IMPACTS & TO RESPOND TO IMPACTS)
HARDWARE: ENSURE APPROPRIATE FACILITIES IN PLACE
DEMAND CREATION: SUPPORT BEHAVIOUR CHANGE
ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY OF INTERVENTION: OPERATION & MAINTENANCE, CAPACITY BUILDING & LOCAL OWNERSHIP
MITIGATE AND REMEDIATE NEGATIVE IMPACTS: BY IMPROVING WATER EFFICIENCY, MANAGING POLLUTANTS AND TREATING WASTEWATER.
USE LEVERAGE TO PROMOTE BETTER WASH ACROSS SUPPLY CHAIN
WBCSD WASH AT THE WORKPLACE PLEDGE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR IMPLEMENTATION
WBCSD WASH PLEDGE STEP-BY-STEP IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE
TOOLS & GUIDANCE FOR OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO ACTION ON WASH IN SUPPLY CHAINS
CASE STUDIES
TAKE ACTION IN MATERIAL AREAS
(DIRECT OPERATIONS, SUPPLY CHAIN, COMMUNITIES)
SHARE REFLECTIONS ON CHALLENGES AND SUCCESSES TO BUILD A COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE.
FEEDBACK LOOPS FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
SHARE/LEARN/MODEL
BEST PRACTICE
WATER ACTION HUB
USE COLLECTIVE VOICE FOR STRONGER ADVOCACY WITH GOVERNMENTS AND SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE REGULATORY REGIMES
POOL RESOURCES AND DEPLOY TO REDUCE CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF INDUSTRIAL USERS AND TO JOINTLY PROMOTE WASH IN SUPPLIERS’ OPERATIONS
TAKE COLLECTIVE ACTION AT DISTRICT LEVEL OF INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER
DRIVE SYSTEMIC CHANGE AT DISTRICT, NATIONAL AND GLOBAL LEVEL
ENCOURAGE & CATALYSE GOVERNMENT AND PEER ACTION THROUGH ADVOCACY & CAPACITY BUILDING
DRAFT