Three questions for Thomas Rebermark!

We asked Thomas Rebermark, Head Of Corporate Partnerships at WaterAid Sweden, some questions about the pandemic and how to engage in sustainability.

Read his answers here!

How will the pandemic change how you and your organisation work?
The Pandemic has had a huge impact on our global operations and staff since our programme countries are more or less in lock-down. It has tested our resilience and ability to rapidly change ways of work, our advocacy, communication and short term focus. Still baring in mind that we need to respond and stay on our overall path in sustainable way with our long term objective in mind; Clean water, sanitation and Hygiene to everyone, everywhere by 2030.

“We have decided to lead by example”.

During and after the pandemic we need to build back better. And we need to respond to the pandemic in a sustainable way. Immediate action to increase communities’ resilience to diseases like COVID-19 is urgent. However, it is equally important that any response to the COVID-19 pandemic is also contributing to sustainable development. Over the next 12 months WaterAid is acting on our plan to implement a comprehensive package of programme and advocacy interventions to strengthen the WASH (WAter, Sanitation and Hygiene) and build resilience to the impacts of COVID-19 and other diseases.

Who do you follow for the best input when adapting for a more sustainable world?
Our international collaboration partners and piers in WASH, such as SIDA, WHO, Global Compact and more, but we also follow and are in dialogue with our corporate partners such as Aveda, H&M, Belu, HSBC, Getinge, Göta Energi, Water for All, to mention a few.

What is your best advice to those who don’t know how to engage for sustainability?
There are so many ways, but as a start I personally would recommend to look into the reports and insights from Global Compact and i.e. McKinsey. There is also knowledge to gain from institutions like Stockholm Resilience Centre and Misum at Stockholm School of Economics. And, of course, check-in on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. On that note start with SDG6. Water is the source and Lifeblood for prosperous Societies and businesses.