New Research on Corporate Water Stewardship

Water is scarce, yet it remains one of the most under-addressed areas in corporate ESG strategies. In the latest joint study by the Centre for Governance and Sustainability at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School and Kering, “Corporate Water Stewardship: Strategies and Practices in Asia Pacific“, we examine how six APAC companies manage their water resource through case studies.

The report was launched in an online workshop on 27 November 2025, where Ms Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer, Kering, highlighted the importance of water for business resiliency in her keynote address.

Ms Marie-Claire Daveu, Chief Sustainability and Institutional Affairs Officer, Kering, gave the keynote address in the webinar “Water Matters: Making Ripples in Corporate Sustainability” on 27 November 2025.

Presenting the research findings, Prof Lawrence Loh, Director, CGS, pointed out that while companies generally started their water journey by focusing on internal water management (e.g. increasing water usage efficiency, reducing consumption waste), more can be done to address wider water risks beyond direct operations, particularly within the supply chain and shared catchment areas.

Prof Lawrence Loh, Director, CGS, gave the welcome address and presented the research findings in the webinar.

Presenting Kering’s water strategy, Ms Geraldine Vallejo, Sustainability Programs and Innovation Director, Kering, explained water management in Kering’s value chain and how the company aims to be net-water positive.

Ms Geraldine Vallejo, Sustainability Programs and Innovation Director, Kering, shared about Kering’s water strategy during the webinar.

The webinar also saw an insightful discussion by our panellists:
– Prof Lawrence Loh, Director, Centre for Governance and Sustainability, NUS Business School [Moderator]
– Dr Allinnettes Adigue, Director, ASEAN Network, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
– Ms Yina Chua, Sustainability Advisor and Author
– Mr Bjorn Low, Chief Urban Farmer and Co-Founder, Edible Garden City
– Ms Melissa Moi, Head of Sustainable Business, Corporate Sustainability Office, UOB
– Mr Erik Spiro-Larrea, Project Director (Nature for Water Facility), The Nature Conservancy

Top row from left: Mr Bjorn Low, Ms Chua Yina, Prof Lawrence Loh. Bottom row from left: Dr Allinnettes Adigue, Ms Melissa Moi, Mr Erik Spiro-Larrea

Discussion highlights:
-Water matters may not be thought of as frequently as carbon, but companies should think more about water dependencies in their value chains and manage related risks.
-A systems approach, involving collective action and shared data, is needed for water stewardship. Water stewardship should also be integrated into domains such as climate action and community health.
-A unified integrated framework and language could foster water governance across local communities, businesses and governments.

In his closing remarks, Mr Thierry Marty, President of Kering North & South-East Asia Pacific, urged the continuation of collaboration and inspiring future leaders to drive meaningful progress in water stewardship and corporate sustainability in the years ahead.

Mr Thierry Marty, President of Kering North & South-East Asia Pacific, emphasised collaboration for water stewardship in his closing remarks.

More climate- and nature-related research from CGS can be found here.

Read our press release for this research.