How can young people help the water sector meet some of its major challenges?
Solutions for the Planet
Our mission is to bring young people and businesses together to share knowledge and shape a more sustainable world.
At the heart of the regulatory framework for water and wastewater services is “the desire to strengthen the approach to customer engagement and outcomes to ensure a continued focus on current and future customers”*.
Future customers?! Why?
The world we live and work in is changing rapidly and society, businesses and the water sector alike are considering how best to respond to the myriad issues. Young people are well versed in many of these challenges including the environment, biodiversity, sustainability, climate change and equity, diversity & inclusion. Harnessing the passion and purpose of young people in their relationship with water will be essential if the water sector is to develop technologies and solutions necessary to build a trust-based and resilient water future for all.
One vital way to actively break down business silos and broaden conversations to include future voices is through the development of long-term strategic partnerships with young people – and in doing so, the industry can forge a path to sustainable impacts and real change. Young people by their very nature give less weight to ‘willingness to pay’, but don’t mistake this for disinterest in this aspect; they may just have different ideas about the value of water and its place in the sustainability agenda.
Regulators, governments and progressive businesses recognise the value of gaining young people’s perspectives on their strategies and future plans. They embrace the ability of young people to think without boundaries across increasingly intersectional strategies, from sustainability, ED&I and CSR, among others.
And how?
By using techniques like design thinking and co-creation when working with young people and businesses, Solutions for the Planet (S4TP) take a human-centred, collaborative and optimistic approach to bringing young people and businesses together to find action-orientated solutions. S4TP Youth Insights Panels are a unique opportunity for the water sector to share insights, highlight innovations, and for young people to be part of the water industry's challenges and solutions of the future.?
In this customer and future customer led world, the water industry is continuously challenged to examine how to develop solutions in co-creation with future customers, and we at Solutions for the Planet are in a unique position to help.
If you would like to explore how your business could benefit from engaging with young customers and employees of the future, please do get in touch by emailing Claire at: [email protected]