WALNUT CREEK, Calif., — June 23, 2017 — Brown and Caldwell, a leading environmental engineering and construction firm, demonstrated its support of Water For People and solving the world water crisis by participating in a recent gathering of Water For People’s Leadership Council.
The purpose of the Council is to build on the historic relationship between Water For People and the engineering and construction community – increasing the level of engagement between Water For People and Council members to accelerate water and sanitation solutions in nine developing countries.
The Council is comprised of senior leaders from eight companies: AECOM, Arcadis, Bentley Systems, Brown and Caldwell, Carollo Engineers, CDM Smith, CH2M, and EA Engineering, Science and Technology.
Council members shared their respective progress and successes in drawing more attention and support to Water For People’s mission through company-wide engagement. For Brown and Caldwell that included: a successful workplace giving program that has resulted in over $100,000 in donations to Water For People in 2016, company donations and sponsorships, as well as strong support for employee involvement in volunteer groups.
Water For People recognized Brown and Caldwell with an award for largest per capita contributions among the Water For People Leadership Council firms. In fiscal year 2016, Brown and Caldwell gave $94.46 per capita – or average per person – over 1,500 employees.
“It’s a great privilege to be a member of Water For People’s Leadership Council,” said Rich D’Amato, Brown and Caldwell president and chief operating officer. “At Brown and Caldwell, we all share common values which include making a difference and giving back. There is no single organization that makes more of a sustained impact on solving water poverty than Water For People.”
Council members also participated in two sessions related to Water For People’s new strategic plan: Increase our Impact X20. The first session focused on how Water For People is replicating and scaling ideas to solve the global sanitation crisis through development of sanitation businesses. The organization is looking beyond the failed attempts of providing free toilets by supporting the entire system of sanitation – from microcredits to build bathrooms, to empowering entrepreneurs to create latrine-emptying services.
Leadership Council members learned that while the sanitation program has over-arching guidelines and goals for coverage and accessibility of sanitation services, implementation is different based on each country’s needs and market forces.
The second session focused on the approaches Water For People is taking to be a global leader in solving the sanitation and water crisis through its Everyone Forever model. This includes efforts to increase the organization’s ability to change the systems that provide water and sanitation services. Water For People is a stronger catalyst for change when acting through partnerships with other non-profit organizations as well as with governments and corporations.
“We appreciate the generosity and commitment of time and talent from the members of the Leadership Council to help us deliver on our mission,” said Eleanor Allen, Water For People CEO. “It’s a great opportunity for us to spend time with industry leaders. They are engaged and willing to share their unique perspectives and expertise for the benefit of Water For People and the people whose lives we are improving as we reach to new heights of scale and impact.”
The collective impact of companies represented on the Leadership Council through employee giving, corporate gifts, grants and sponsorships totals more than $1 million annually.
To learn more about how you can join Brown and Caldwell in supporting Water For People, contact Brinlee Finzel (bfinzel@BrwnCald.com) or Bhargavi Golluru (bgolluru@BrwnCald.com) of Brown and Caldwell or visit www.waterforpeople.org/donate.