Speakers included Dan Bena, director of Sustainability, Health, Safety, and Environment at PepsiCo; Matt Evans ('07), co-founder and director of Imagine H2O; Piet Klop, acting director of the Markets & Enterprise Program at the World Resources Institute; and Matthew Diserio, co-founder and co-portfolio manager, Water Asset Management LLC.

“Decreasing water supply in the face of growing demand poses a substantial risk for industrial, agricultural, and municipal enterprises. Despite the enormity of this challenge, most water-related problems can be solved using proven practices and existing technologies," said Diserio. "The first step is to identify and quantify undisclosed water supply risks. The second step is to implement full cost pricing which will attract the investment capital needed to repair and expand water infrastructure and facilitate conservation."

Goldman Sachs is deeply engaged in identifying water risks and opportunities. In December 2009, the firm partnered with the World Resources Institute (WRI) and General Electric to develop a Water Index that measures water-related risks facing companies and their investors. The Water Index will offer a standardized approach to identify and mitigate water-related corporate risk.

“Many environmental factors, including water, pose both challenges and opportunities for investors and businesses,” says Tracy Wolstencroft, global head of the firm’s Environmental Markets Group. “The Water Index will provide valuable insights that can inform investment decisions and will help identify new opportunities across sectors and geographies.”