Action4Good: Innovation and Social Responsibility

Action4Good: Innovation and Social Responsibility

Published on IDRA Global Connections Summer 2019 Issue

  • IDRA Action4Good International Conference, “Creating Resilient Solutions To Water Needs,” Highlights Growing Need for Corporate Social Responsibility

On May 12-14, IDRA presented its seventh Action4Good International Conference, in beautiful Santa Margherita, Italy. With its theme, “Creating Resilient Solutions to Water Needs,” the conference highlighted the growing need for corporate social responsibility while also addressing critical water, energy and environmental issues. The program also examined the role of advanced water treatment solutions in meeting growing clean water needs.

The conference offered a high technical level of the technical sessions of desalination and water reuse. A very interactive conference with great participation by all attendees in a friendly networking environment.” Miguel Angel Sanz, IDRA President

The conference was held under the patronage of the Comune di Genova and the Governor of the Liguria Region and was developed in cooperation with the Rotary Club of La Spezia and Lunigiana as well as the IDRA Sustainable Water Resources Foundation (SWRF). With the support of IDRA’s Affiliate, the European Desalination Society and partnership agreements with such organizations as the UN FAO, Global Clean Water Desalination Alliance, GreeningTheIslands.net, and the Global Solar Council, the conference technical program focused on energy and environmental issues related to desalination and water reuse projects.

This conference was the latest in a long and successful history of IDRA Action4Good events focused on social responsibility. IDRA supports an H2O-CO2 target and advocates the critical role that energy efficiency, renewable energy and minimization of environmental impact in desalination and water reuse systems play in achieving this goal.” Shannon McCarthy, IDRA Secretary General

Innovation was the ‘leitmotif’ of the conference. The conference passed in a very lively atmosphere with some very valuable discussions over a very interesting technical program.” Corrado Sommariva, CEO and
Founder of SWPC

Topics included the Water-Energy-Food nexus, non-conventional means of supplying water, and the growing role of renewable energy in the water solutions. Continuing in the tradition of IDRA’s Humanitarian Outreach Program that was introduced in 2011, sessions also addressed emergency solutions that can enable a supply of potable water to areas affected by humanitarian disasters.

Speakers came from around the globe and included H.E. Rebhy al Sheikh, Policy and Reform Advisor to the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Water Authority, Gaza Reconstruction Manager; H.E. Rizou Hussain, CEO, Algerian Energy Company; and Mr. Gianna Chianetta, Chairman Elect, Global Solar Council, all of whom delivered remarks following welcome addresses.

Taking part in the technical sessions and talking to other participants, I found great general interest on both the technical and humanitarian aspects of the conference, with a particular sensitivity to the humanitarian projects funded with the money raised thanks to previous editions of the conference.” Edoardo Garobotti, Managing Director at TM.p SpA – Termomeccanica Pompe

The conference also raised substantial funds to support humanitarian water initiatives in a village in Thailand and one in Madagascar, following previous donations made.

We are proud to have been the Platinum Sponsor of this important conference for many reasons, the main ones being: Santa Margherita and the Genoa region is where Fisia Italimpianti is headquartered, as well as many other water-related companies, and we are happy to support such an important water  event organized by IDRA. Second, we recognized the additional value of the conference, which addressed the needs of communities where clean water and solutions to provide it are scarce or lacking sufficient quality. This is why we share with all the participants a view that the water industry is not only about technical innovation and efficiency, but also social responsibility, and that we should further increase corporate social responsibility in our sector as an industry policy.” Silvio Oliva, CEO, Fisia Italimpianti