Start Year: 2021

Objectives

Address key information/knowledge gaps in the water and sanitation sector, and map and define water and sanitation indicators that can be widely used by different stakeholders in the financial inclusion sector, particularly by the investors in their decisions. The AG was created to fill an information gap as many investors/funders find it difficult to grow their WASH portfolio because they lack clarity about the sector, how it works, and what are the opportunities for financial, social, and environmental return.

Current Activities

Webinar Series on Climate and WASH and Investors Sharing Sessions (2023 - on-going)

A series of webinars open to all interested on the topic of Climate and WASH, and a series of closed sessions aiming to promote the exchange of experiences and learnings from the investment projects being implemented by the AG members and other stakeholders. Work supported by consultant Jack Strosser.

WASH indicators for investors (2024 – on-going)

Following on the work initiated in 2022, the WASH AG has implemented with MSC (MicroSave Consulting) a research project aiming to evaluate the applicability and adoption of the WASH AG Indicator Framework. During the research, the MSC team consulted key stakeholders, including asset managers, financial intermediaries (FIs), and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to document current impact measurement practices within the WASH sector, assess their alignment with the WASH AG Indicator Framework, and identify key challenges these entities face in data recording and impact measurement. The key findings and recommendations of the research are shared in the publication 'Evaluating the WASH Action Group Indicator Framework' prepared by the MSC team.

Past Activities

Research study on WASH and financial Inclusion (2021-2022)

Preparation of a handbook on WASH for impact investors aiming to build a shared understanding of the water and sanitation value chains, and their associated terminology as well as to identify common challenges, pre-conceptions about the sector and good practices. Research work conducted by consultant Sachin Kumar.

Initial mapping of WASH indicators for investors (2022-2023)

Identification of WASH indicators being currently used, and the challenges associated with their collection and analysis, and recommendation of priority indicators. Work conducted by consultant Jeroen Trimpe Burger from Rebel.

Resources

Investors Sharing Sessions 2023-2024

• Investor Meeting with WaterEquity and Water.org, 14 May 2024 (summary)

• Investor Meeting with Incofin Investment Management, 16 November 2023 (summary)

Climate and WASH Webinar Series 2023-24

• Mobilising climate finance for WASH: Practitioners' takeaways, 2 July 2024 (summary, recording, presentation)

• COP28 in context: Insights on wash financing, 8 February 2024 (summary, recording, presentation)

• ‘Climate and the WASH sector: Introduction to Financial Service Providers’, 5 October 2023  (summary, recording, presentation)

  
  

Publications

• Evaluating the WASH Action Group Indicator Framework, December 2024

• A Brief Introduction to WASH for Impact Investors, September 2022

• A Handbook on WASH for Impact Investors - Part I, September 2022

• A Handbook on WASH for Impact Investors - Part II, September 2022

Working Documents

• WASH and Financial Inclusion: A Set of Indicators to Guide the Activities of Impact Investors in the WASH Sector, March 2023

European Microfinance Week Sessions

• EMW 2022 Panel session: Thinking out of the box: Blended finance solutions to promote WASH lending in Cambodia (presentation), November 2022

• EMW 2021 Workshop session: WASH and financial inclusion (summary and recording), November 2021

• EMW 2021 Case study session: Progress on WASH lending (summary and recording), November 2021

• EMW 2020 Panel session: Investing in Water and Sanitation (summary and recording) November 2020

• EMW 2020 Working session:  Developing Indicators for water and Sanitation (summary and recording) November 2020

Action Group Head

Owais Shafiq is the Senior Impact Finance Officer at Aqua for All. Prior to joining Aqua for All, Owais worked for several years in positive impact sectors regarding energy access, public health, sustainable finance, and inclusive business principles with international organisations, such as the OECD, NGOs, social enterprises, and impact advisors.

Owais holds a MSc in International Management and Sustainability from Sciences Po, Paris, and a Bachelor of Engineering from Bangalore, India.

Contact

Joana Afonso

e-mail: jafonso@e-mfp.eu

Photo: Liz Martin via Unsplash