Turning Ambition into Action: The Water Resilience Coalition at Davos 2026 

By Matt Kistler, CEO, Water Resilience Coalition

At the 2026 World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, the Water Resilience Coalition (WRC) convened global business leaders at a pivotal moment for water resilience. The message emerging from our Executive Roundtable was unequivocal: water resilience is no longer a peripheral sustainability issue; it is a core business imperative. And companies are ready to act collectively, at scale. 

This blog captures the key outcomes of the WRC’s engagement in Davos highlighting the progress achieved, partnerships announced, and priorities that will define the next phase of collective business action on water resilience. 

Collective Action, Measurable Results 

Since its launch in 2020, the WRC has demonstrated what coordinated business leadership can achieve when companies move beyond isolated projects toward collective, basin-level action. 

In just over five years, the coalition has delivered tangible impact: 

  • 42 member companies actively engaged 
  • Action underway in 24 critical basins 
  • 63 million people enabled with improved access to water 
  • AI- and space-enabled basin monitoring launched in 10 basins 
  • More than USD 500 million mobilized with partners for water stewardship projects 

These results underscore a simple truth: collective action accelerates impact in ways no single company can achieve alone. 

Momentum Accelerates in Davos 

That momentum accelerated further in Davos with several significant announcements. 

First, we announced a new strategic partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to help scale business action on global water resilience. Together, the WRC and WEF will elevate water resilience on global agendas, expand business leadership engagement, drive collective action across 100 priority basins, and advance thought leadership for the private sector. 

Also, during the CDP Water Use Efficiency Index was announced, providing companies with a powerful new tool to benchmark performance, unlock cost savings, and accelerate the transition to circular water management. 

In addition, WRC partner Aqua for All shared encouraging news: the governments of Luxembourg and the Netherlands have committed funding to develop a specialized corporate investment facility in partnership with Aqua for All and the WRC. This commitment sends a strong signal that mobilizing private capital for water is both urgent and essential and that it requires robust public-private collaboration. 

Leadership within the coalition also continues to strengthen. Reckitt announced its entry into the WRC’s Water Investment Pathway and will serve as Co-Chair alongside long-standing WRC partner Ecolab. This shared leadership reinforces both the credibility and the growing ambition of the pathway as it scales, bringing together deep experience and fresh momentum to mobilize investment for water resilience. 

Together, these partnerships and leadership commitments signal the WRC’s growing influence in the global water resilience landscape. Support from both public and private sectors validates our approach and underscores the urgency of the challenge. As more organizations join forces with the WRC, it is increasingly clear that collective action is essential and that the coalition is uniquely positioned to deliver lasting impact. 

Bold and Achievable Goals 

To sustain near-term momentum while delivering long-term impact, the WRC will focus on four core priorities: 

  • Expand the Coalition
    Grow membership and momentum by adding 10 new companies in 2026, progressing toward 150 members by 2030. 
  • Scale Basin Impact
    Accelerate on-the-ground progress by engaging 10 new basin leaders in 2026, advancing toward 50 critical basins by 2028 and 100 by 2030. 
  • Mobilize Investment for Global Water Access
    Build a robust investment pipeline by engaging 10 new investors in 2026, supporting our ambition to mobilize USD 2 billion and reach 300 million people by 2030. 
  • Accelerate Innovation and Accountability
    Deploy technology, AI, and data-driven innovation to advance circular water solutions, while setting clear, basin-level targets to ensure measurable progress. 

A Clear Call to Action for Business 

The discussions in Davos underscored a clear call to action for business leaders: 

  • Grow the coalition by doubling membership to 80 companies and beyond 
  • Mobilize finance to expand collective action across 50+ basins 
  • Leverage technology and AI by sharing data, tools, and solutions to accelerate impact 

The Water Resilience Coalition stands at a pivotal moment. The platform is proven. Partnerships are strong. And the opportunity to scale impact is real. What’s needed now is continued leadership by businesses willing to turn ambition into action and deliver water resilience at the scale the world requires. 

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CEO Water Mandate
The Mandate is a commitment platform for business leaders and learners to advance water stewardship. Endorsing companies commit to action across six key elements and report annually on progress. The Mandate Secretariat - a partnership between the UN Global Compact and Pacific Institute - supports the initiative’s mission and endorsing companies in many ways, including: (1) developing research, guidance, and tools that advance corporate water stewardship, (2) convening multi-stakeholder events to identify, explore, and solve key water challenges, and (3) facilitating meaningful collective action to improve conditions in at-risk river basins around the world.