Learn from leaders in corporate water management including:

Daniel Bena, Director of Sustainability, Health, Safety, and Environment, PepsiCo International

Tom Cooper, Corporate Water Programs Manager, Intel

Jeff Fulgham, Chief Marketing Officer, GE Water & Process Technologies

Dr. Arjen Hoekstra, Professor in Multidisciplinary Water Management, University of Twente

Greg Koch, Managing Director of Global Water Stewardship,The Coca-Cola Company

Kim Marotta, Senior Director of CSR, MillerCoors

Mary Ellen Mika, Supply Chain Manager, Steelcase

William Reilly, Chairman, Global Water Challenge

Nayeem Sheikh, Energy Program Manager, Cisco Systems

Registration, Welcome Coffee & Exhibition Visit

Session 1: Implementing a Corporate Water Strategy

Similar to carbon, water is predicted to be the next area of scrutiny for global companies. With freshwater supplies tightening due to overuse and more extreme weather patterns, business will come under more pressure to monitor and cut water use. Top companies are already measuring their “water footprint” which refers to the total volume of freshwater used in the production and consumption of goods and services. This opening session features companies that have assessed their water footprints and set ambitious targets for reduction.

Discussion with Expert Panel

• How can companies conduct accurate water footprint assessments?
• What aspects of water use should be measured?
• How do you establish a current baseline?
• How can you set performance goals for water-use reduction?
• How can you evaluate progress over time?

Chair: Bill Shireman, President and CEO, Future500
Adam Davis, President, Solano Partners, Inc
Jason Clay, Senior Vice President in Market Transformation, WWF
Linda Hwang, Environmental Research & Development, Business for Social Responsibility
Elizabeth Soderstrom,Senior Director of Conservation, American Rivers

Session 2: The Water Challenge: A Local Issue for Global Companies

Unlike climate issues, where problems and solutions have global impacts, water is mainly a local issue requiring local action. To secure future water supplies, corporations must work with local governments and communities to ensure they have the water they need to do business at a reasonable price. This session looks at how some companies are engaging local stakeholders to find water solutions.

Discussion with Expert Panel

• What is the best way to assess local water challenges?
• How can business form links with local activists and NGOs to solve water problems?
• How can companies protect against disruptions in local water supplies?
• What are the best techniques for solving wastewater and quality issues?
• How much should companies invest in local water projects?

Chair: Kathy Shandling, Executive Director, International Private Water Association (IPWA)
William Reilly, Chairman, Global Water Challenge
Michael Totten, Chief Advisor, Climate, Water and Ecosystem Services, Conservation International
C. Wesley Strickland, Shareholder, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP

Session 3: Cutting Water throughout the Supply Chain

For many companies, water is a surprisingly large component of production, either directly or indirectly, in the supply chain. Business may in fact be unaware of indirect costs from suppliers with water-intensive processes or overuse. This session looks at how companies can assess water use throughout the value chain – from production through to consumer use and disposal.

Case Study: Achieving Water Efficiencies in the Enterprise
Peter Williams, Chief Technology Officer, IBM Big Green Innovations

Case Study: Working with Suppliers to Reduce Water Use
Mary Ellen Mika, Supply Chain Manager, Steelcase and Keith Lane, Regional Account Director, DuBois Chemicals

Discussion with Expert Panel

• How can companies grasp the amount of water used along the value chain?
• What are some common areas of water overuse or waste in the supply chain?
• How receptive are suppliers when asked to engage in water conservation?
• What is the best way to continue to monitor suppliers’ water use?
• What are the expectations in terms of a company’s water footprint – what’s your fault and what isn’t?

Chair: Jason Morrison, Director, Globalization Program, Pacific Institute
Mary Ellen Mika, Supply Chain Manager, Steelcase
Keith Lane, Regional Account Director, DuBois Chemicals, Johnson Diversey Inc. 
Peter Williams, Chief Technology Officer, IBM Big Green Innovations

Session 4: Developing a Strategic Water Vision

Responsibility for water management crosses many functions including facilities and energy managers, engineering departments and environmental management. In order to ensure success in cutting water footprints, some corporations are taking a more integrated and strategic approach to water conservation. This session focuses on companies that have engaged multiple functions in water management.

Case Study: Using Ultrafiltration Technology to Recycle Wash Water in Manufacturing Plants
Mike Presley, President and CEO, Separation Dynamics

Session 5: Water Efficiency Leaders

The EPA’s Water Efficiency Leader Awards recognize organizations and individuals for their leadership and innovation in water efficient products and practices. The awards are intended to help foster a nationwide ethic of water efficiency, as well as inspire, motivate, and recognize efforts to improve water efficiency. In this session, we will hear case studies from two water efficiency award-winners and find out how these organizations have developed strong links with local authorities and utilities to foster greater water savings.

Case Study: The Value of Recycled Water
Michael Ferguson, Water Quality Program Manager, Lackland Air Force Base

Discussion with expert panel

• How can you become a “water efficiency leader”?
• How can you identify water savings opportunities in the production process?
• Is it necessary to take a life-cycle analysis approach to water use to become more efficient?
• How can companies work with utilities and local authorities to on water recycling?
• What are the additional benefits of water efficiency programs?

Chair: Bob Rose, Water Policy Staff, EPA
Daniel Bena, Director of Sustainability, Health, Safety, and Environment, PepsiCo International
Michael Ferguson, Water Quality Program Manager, Lackland Air Force Base
Charlotte Ely, Life Scientist, EPA

Session 6: A Global Water Supply Crisis: The Impacts for Business

Experts are predicting a severe crisis in water supply brought on by a global population boom and more severe weather patterns due to climate change. Future water shortages pose a serious threat to businesses who fail to develop water conservation and contingency plans today. This session looks at the threat water shortages and supply disruptions pose to business and what actions companies should take to protect themselves from the impacts of tightening water supplies.

Discussion with Expert Panel

• What regions will be most affected by a water supply crisis?
• Which business sectors are particularly at risk when it comes to a supply crisis?
• How can companies assess which sites are in extremely water-scarce areas?
• How do you determine the water shortage risks of your suppliers?
• How can companies protect against supply disruptions and infrastructure failures?

Chair: Gil Friend, President and CEO, Natural Logic
Viren Doshi, Vice President, Booz Allen
Zane Gresham, Partner, Director, Global Water Practice, Morrison Foerster LLP
Roger Pulwarty PhD, Director National Integrated Drought Information System, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Session 7: The Big Picture: Saving Carbon, Energy and Costs with Water Cuts

Leading companies realize that water footprinting is a necessary part of building a holistic climate strategy which aims to reduce energy, carbon and raw materials throughout the supply chain. One of the main benefits of water efficiencies is they naturally lead to energy, carbon and cost savings. This session will look at the opportunities that come from cutting water use across the value chain and how water management fits into a global climate strategy.

Case Study: Conserving Energy through Water Management:  Steelcase and DuBois
Mary Ellen Mika, Supply Chain Manager, Steelcase and Keith Lane, Regional Account Director, DuBois Chemicals

Discussion with Expert Panel

• What are the main motivations of sustainable water management?
• When can companies expect a return on their investment in water saving techniques?
• How can you predict the amount of energy saved through water efficiency?
• What is the best way to ensure financial savings through water management?
• What are the various environmental benefits of water management?

Chair: Jan Lundberg, Founder, Culture Change
Leslie Cook, Public Sector Program Manager, US EPA's ENERGY STAR
Brett Basel, Manager of Sustainability & Environmental Reporting, Dean Foods
Mary Ellen Mika, Supply Chain Manager, Steelcase
Keith Lane, Regional Account Director, DuBois Chemicals

Session 8: Sustainable Water Techniques: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Water reduction begins with cutting the amount of water currently in use and developing systems to encourage further savings across the supply chain. This session will look at the latest technologies and techniques in water conservation from leading companies.

Discussion with Expert Panel

• How can you identify which water management techniques will work best?
• What role does technology play in water footprinting and reduction?
• What is the best way to recognize water reuse opportunities?
• How can you build water savings into your business expansion plans?
• How can you develop future water conservation projects?

Chair: Jeff Mosher, Executive Director, National Water Research Institute
Michael McDonald, Global Sales Leader, Water Process Technologies, GE
Suzanne Gautier, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, City of San Francisco
Tom Cooper, Corporate Water Programs Manager, Intel

Session 9: A Sectoral Approach to Water Management

While all businesses are vulnerable to water shortages, certain water-intensive sectors are more at risk. In this session, we look at how companies in high water-risk sectors should develop water action plans.

Q & A session  

Close of Conference