Water scarcity already affects a staggering 3.6 billion people worldwide. The World Economic Forum ranks water crises as the #1 global risk by impact, with water scarcity expected to affect over 50% of the world’s population by 2030, directly threatening business continuity, supply chains, and workforce stability.

As climate change accelerates and extreme weather events become more frequent, this crisis will only intensify, requiring action not just from governments and communities, but from businesses as well. Sustainability is no longer an add-on to corporate strategy; if implemented correctly, it is a core driver of long-term resilience and success. By integrating clean water initiatives into Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) frameworks, companies can reduce risk, strengthen stakeholder trust, and contribute meaningfully to global sustainability goals.

Incorporating clean water into business strategy is both a responsibility and an opportunity, one that supports ethical leadership today while safeguarding sustainable growth for the future.

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Water as a Core Component of CSR Strategy

We’ve heard a lot about reducing carbon emissions, but how does water fit into the equation?  Although companies are increasingly recognizing water as an important CSR strategy issue, private sector involvement still falls short of the scale and urgency of the challenge. This gap presents an opportunity for businesses to strengthen community relationships, enhance their reputation, reduce risks, and create profitable, long-term value by adopting stronger water strategies. For example, CMA CGM invested in Kumulus’ air-to-water generators, supplying a constant source of drinking water to schools in water-stressed areas in Saudi Arabia. This improved community access to safe water while strengthening CMA CGM’s social license to operate, reducing supply-chain risk, and building long-term brand and investor value.

Investors are indeed paying closer attention to corporate water management. Global initiatives such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, highlight the growing role of businesses in promoting sustainable water and sanitation practices.

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The Challenge with Current Popular Solutions

Lack of access to drinking water is seen as both an environmental and humanitarian issue. Though this has worsened in recent decades, it is an issue which has existed in many corners of the world for a long time. You would think that some robust solutions are thoroughly in place by now.

The traditional and most widely spread solution for tackling water scarcity and polluted water, are plastic bottles, jugs and carafes. However, bottled water causes a rise in carbon emissions and plastic waste, worsening the environment. It’s also proven to be bad for your health! A study shows that a liter of bottled water contains up to 240,000 tiny pieces of plastic, 90% being nano plastics, which can infiltrate into many aspects of the human body. If environmental and social concerns aren’t enough, surely health is?

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The Challenge with Current Popular Solutions

Lack of access to drinking water is seen as both an environmental and humanitarian issue. Though this has worsened in recent decades, it is an issue which has existed in many corners of the world for a long time. You would think that some robust solutions are thoroughly in place by now.  

The traditional and most widely spread solution for tackling water scarcity and polluted water, are plastic bottles, jugs and carafes. However, bottled water causes a rise in carbon emissions and plastic waste, worsening the environment. It’s also proven to be bad for your health! A study shows that a liter of bottled water contains up to 240,000 tiny pieces of plastic, 90% being nano plastics, which can infiltrate into many aspects of the human body. If environmental and social concerns aren’t enough, surely health is?

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Kumulus Air-to-Water Generators: How They Integrate into Your CSR Strategy

At Kumulus, pushing for a healthier planet and body, is exactly our focus. Our AWGs (Atmospheric Water Generators) ensure safe drinking water from air for all, even in off-grid or remote locations, without the plastic waste or health-related risks.  

What is a CSR strategy?

According to UNESCO, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to how businesses take responsibility for their impact on society. It goes beyond legal compliance and profit generation, requiring companies to act ethically, be accountable to stakeholders, and contribute positively to the communities in which they operate.

Kumulus’ water-from-air solutions reduce environmental impact, lower operational costs, and provide measurable outcomes for sustainability initiatives. Notably, our solutions meet the triple bottom line concept:  

• Social: Ensures access to safe drinking water, improving employee and community wellbeing

• Environmental: Reduces plastic waste and CO₂ emissions

• Economic: Provides measurable ROI, often within 2–3 years

Sounds like a great deal, right?

By replacing bottled water with air-to-water generators, companies can embed water into their CSR strategy, reduce emissions, and demonstrate tangible commitment to sustainability in business. Clean water is no longer just an operational necessity. It is a strategic opportunity. Companies that invest in Kumulus demonstrates how sustainability and business can go hand in hand: they help improve environmental performance while delivering real benefits for employees, communities, and the planet. Project Mkètebna is a solid example of this.

Case Study: Project Mkètebna

Our atmospheric water generators can be used in offices, as well as in sites which are not connected to the main water network (e.g. construction sites, industrial sites, ports and airports). On top of that, they can be a part of your company’s philanthropic work.

Kumulus begun “Project Mkètebna”, a CSR initiative which aims to provide clean drinking water to every school in Tunisia by 2027. For some context, 1 in 5 schools in Tunisia have no access to clean drinking water, meaning over 50,000 children learning without a fundamental resource.

One such example was the collaboration with Orange Foundation, a key player supporting Kumulus’ Mkètebna initiative. Together, they were able to deploy 3 Kumulus Amphores to primary school students and staff in Bayadha village in Northwest Tunisia, allowing them to avoid 500kg of plastic per year and up to 2 tons of CO2 emissions. They were equally able to put an end to the long and tiresome miles  travelled to and back from the village to fetch water. Ensuring access to drinking water at schools sounds like it should be a given, but the reality is far from the case in many areas of the world. For Orange Foundation,  changing this is a strategic CSR initiative.  

Read more here: Orange Fondation x Kumulus Case Study  

Clean Water from Air as a Strategic Opportunity

Investing in sustainable water solutions is a tangible way for companies to turn responsibility into measurable impact. By integrating sustainable  air-to-water generators into CSR strategies, companies can improve environmental performance, enhance social impact, and strengthen business resilience. Forward-thinking organizations that act now will not only meet stakeholder expectations but also contribute to global sustainability goals while securing long-term business value.

Ready to strengthen your CSR strategy with sustainable water solutions?

Learn more about how Kumulus’ atmospheric water generators can deliver measurable environmental and social impact.