On February 1, 2019, 2030 WRG organized an event to introduce the Blue Certificate initiative to corporate members of the Asociación para el Fomento de la Infraestructura Nacional (AFIN), which is a business association that advocates for the development of public services infrastructure in Peru. The President of AFIN, Mrs. Leonie Roca—who is also a permanent member of Peru 2030 WRG’s steering committee—presided over the event.

Launched in 2016, the Blue Certificate initiative is a certification process jointly developed by 2030 WRG and Peru’s National Authority of Water (ANA) to promote responsible corporate water stewardship. During the event, a representative of ANA gave a presentation that described the certification process and highlighted the competitive advantage companies might gain through the process.

Collectively, the event’s 16 attendees represented nine private companies in a variety of industries, including energy, highway, hospitals, legal services, and transportation. All 16 attendees expressed their enthusiasm in getting certified as a water-responsible company, and bilateral meetings between 2030 WRG and several of these companies are already in underway.

Since the time it was launched, the Blue Certificate initiative has been an indispensable tool for 2030 WRG to engage with new companies in Peru and push for a culture of responsible corporate water stewardship. It has also provided ANA with a means to strengthen its role as a promoter of sustainable water practices in the private sector.

The Blue Certificate initiative is steadily gaining momentum. More and more companies now view such a certification process as a way to improve their business efficiency and sustainability. In response to the private sector’s increasing interest in getting certified through the Blue Certificate initiative, 2030 WRG will be organizing a similar event with Sociedad Nacional de Industrias (SNI), which an association that brings together companies in Peru’s manufacturing sector. Members of SNI includes companies in a variety of water-intensive and potentially water-polluting industries such as food and beverage, chemical, paper, telecommunications, metals, plastics, and textiles industries