Training Workshops

WWF’s Water Risk Filter

Date: 03 Apr 2013

Time: 1:00 PM

Location: Washington, DC, United States

Venue: Andre Bello 3 (9th floor)

Brown Bag Lunch: WWF’s Water Risk Filter

Presentation: Water Risk Filter Water is becoming a central topic of concern for businesses across the globe, yet most companies don’t know where to start in understanding and responding to water issues. Developed by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the German Development Bank (DEG), this tool is designed to help companies and investors to ask the right questions about water - to assess risks and give guidance on what to do in response. The Water Risk Filter is designed to be easy to use, yet highly robust in the results that are generated. We want to enable users to plan and create strategies for their own company, suppliers or investments to drive down risk and become proactive in responding to water issues they face - and by doing so, become better water stewards. For WWF and DEG, estimating the perfect risk score is not the end goal. The scores are instead the best and most accurate reflection of the multiple issues that companies face around water and should guide a company into a position of proactive engagement on water. We believe that by generating interest and guidance on water actions, we can improve how water is managed, measured and improved for society, the economy and the environment. This tool can potentially help guide the Inter-American Development Bank through its partnerships with corporations as well as with its lending practices to help identify and address water risks at the earliest stages of projects and initiatives.

Karin Krchnak, Director, Freshwater, WWF As an environmental lawyer, Ms. Krchnak has worked to improve policies and procedures related to environmental management and resource conservation worldwide. Prior to joining WWF-US, Ms. Krchnak was Director of International Water Policy and Director of Global Partnerships for the Great Rivers Partnership at the Nature Conservancy. At TNC, she advised on the development of policy strategies with national governments, multilateral institutions, river basin organizations and other partners. Her areas of focus included integrated river basin management, payment for environmental services in the water sector, water and energy infrastructure development (hydropower), and watershed protection. Before joining TNC, as the World Resource Institute’s Director of the Access Initiative & the Partnership for Principle 10, Ms. Krchnak managed two global secretariats aimed at improving information disclosure, transparency and accountability in environmental decision-making. Prior to WRI, Ms. Krchnak has worked as the Population & Environment Program Manager in the National Wildlife Federation’s International Programs, as well as Director for the Western Newly Independent States and Director of the Environmental Law Program for the American Bar Association Central and Eastern European Law Initiative. In addition, she has worked as an environmental attorney for Science Applications International Corporation and the Environmental Law Institute, and as an editor for the East Asian Legal Studies Program at the University of Maryland School of Law. Ms. Krchnak received her B.A. in Political Science from Duke University and her J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law. She has published extensively in the area of international environmental policy and sustainable development, particularly on freshwater issues. She has served on the Steering Committees of the Global Water Partnership and the Gender & Water Alliance. She Co-Chaired the UN Commission on Sustainable Development’s Freshwater Caucus. She serves on the World Water Council’s Board of Governors, the World Water Council Bureau, and the 7th World Water Forum International Steering Committee. She also represents WWF on the U.S. Water Partnership. She served in the past as the Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Alliance for Water Stewardship. Ms. Krchnak has also served as Adjunct Faculty at the University of Maryland School of Law and at law faculties and universities overseas.

Lindsay Bass, Senior Program Officer, Freshwater, WWF Lindsay is the water stewardship lead for WWF-US, where she manages private sector partnerships to conserve water resources and freshwater ecosystems. Currently, she works with Procter & Gamble, Sodexo, Ecolab and The Coca-Cola Company on water stewardship strategy development and implementation. In her general engagement with corporate partners, she is involved in on-the-ground field work, policy advocacy, and stakeholder fora on water stewardship. Before joining WWF, Lindsay worked with Patagonia, Inc. on water footprinting and the launch of an international water campaign. She holds a Masters in Environmental Science and Management, and has written extensively on environment and trade issues.

Paul Hardy, Director of Strategic Planning & Performance Management, Latin America & Caribbean Secretariat, WWF Paul Hardy is Director of Strategic Planning for WWF’s Latin America and Caribbean Program. He has been a key designer and implementer of a major restructuring of the LAC Program, which has aligned WWF’s resources behind its top priorities in the region. He works alongside the LAC Vice President on major strategic or emerging issues including China’s footprint on natural resources and mining and extractives issues. He has helped to launch or reorganize regional programs addressing climate, marine, markets and forests. Paul began his conservation career with WWF over 20 years ago as a junior staff member in the same program. In the intervening time, he managed field programs for The Nature Conservancy in the U.S. and the Caribbean, ending a thirteen year career there as a deputy director for TNC’s global policy program. He obtained a Masters of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan.

Please contact Iona Hawken at ihawken@iadb.org if you are interested in attending from outside IDB.