An area of agreement: Democrats and Republicans both support corporate advocacy for clean water

It’s becoming rarer these days to find areas of bipartisan agreement. But according to new research, water pollution and shortages rank among the top environmental concerns globally — regardless of which side of the aisle people are on.

Trellis data partner GlobeScan found that Americans across the political spectrum want businesses to advocate for government action to protect fresh water. While Democrat voters are generally more supportive of corporate advocacy on issues such as climate change or the UN Sustainable Development Goals, there is strong consensus with Republican voters on the importance of safeguarding water resources. Clear majorities of 64 percent of Republicans and 74 percent of Democrats believe companies should play a role in promoting clean water.

What this means

Despite the increasing politicization of ESG and sustainability, the research suggests that protecting shared natural resources such as fresh water remains a unifying issue. With concerns mounting over regulatory rollbacks on clean water in the U.S., Americans may increasingly look to businesses to step up. Companies have a rare opportunity to take a clear stand on water protection — an issue that resonates with Americans across party lines. Ways corporations can do that, according to The Future Water Agenda Report from GlobeScan and The World Wildlife Fund, include:

• Position water holistically as a connector for more integrated approaches to sustainability priorities
• Strengthen water stewardship practices across value chains
• Prioritize and invest in cross-sector action
• Proactively engage in public-private collaboration, policy advocacy and restoration of nature-based solutions
• Embrace disclosure and use more compelling communications that link water to tangible improvements for climate, nature and people

Based on a global online study of more than 30,000 people across 31 countries and territories.